21 March 2026
Self-confidence in groups
For coaches who work with groups, self-confidence is a layered theme. Are you looking for a concrete foundation to guide this process? Take a look at the toolkit: Grow self-confidence
You do not need to watch a group for long to see that self-confidence is rarely just about whether someone dares to speak. Sometimes you see it in the person who stays quiet, even though you sense there is much more beneath the surface. But just as often, you see it in the person who talks quickly, responds to everything, and takes the floor with ease. Between the lines, you notice how much tension is sitting underneath. That is exactly what makes self-confidence such an interesting theme, because it almost never shows itself in just one way.
As soon as you bring up the topic, something often starts to shift. One person laughs it off. Another looks down. Someone says lightly that this would probably be a good topic for them, while you can already hear that it lands closer than feels comfortable. Self-confidence sounds like a gentle topic, but it often touches thoughts, beliefs, and experiences much faster than people expect.
That is exactly where it becomes interesting for coaches. In a group, you see more quickly how someone responds to a compliment. You notice how easily a person downplays their own success. You also see how often someone waits for another person to speak first. These may seem like small things, but they often tell you a great deal.
What makes group work around self-confidence so valuable is that it quickly becomes more concrete than simply talking about feeling stronger or more secure. The opening is often not found in big insights, but in recognition. In noticing that someone else has doubts too. In seeing that insecurity can show itself in different ways, such as perfectionism, adapting, or making yourself smaller.
That is why it does not always help to simply encourage someone to be braver or more visible. Often, something else needs to happen first. First, recognising what keeps happening. Then, putting words to what is going on underneath. After that, understanding which patterns are getting in the way. Only then does space open up for something new.
In practice, change usually does not come through one major breakthrough. More often, it shows up in something smaller. Someone stays engaged this time. A positive remark is not dismissed straight away. A person starts to realise how harsh their inner voice really is. These moments may seem modest, but this is often where self-confidence grows the most.
That is also why a training or toolkit around self-confidence can be so practical. Not because one exercise solves the whole problem, but because as a coach you have a clear structure in your hands. First, you explore what self-confidence really is. Then, you look at which thoughts, beliefs, and environmental influences play a role. After that, you explore what helps someone practise differently in daily life.
“Ultimately, our work as coaches is not to change people, but to create the conditions in which they dare to meet themselves. This toolkit is built on that idea.” Click here
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