When Nisha started her first job after graduating from a top engineering college, everyone expected her to do well. She had great grades, passed all hiring rounds, and looked excited to begin. But within a few weeks, things changed.
She was given a moderately challenging analytical task—something any new hire might find tough but could handle with effort. Nisha gave it a shot, but things didn’t go well. She missed important steps, misunderstood key instructions, and received critical feedback. After that, her energy dropped. She stopped volunteering, waited for instructions, and did just the basics. Team leads began avoiding her for big tasks, thinking she lacked drive.

Why Managers Misjudge Employees: The Role of Self-Efficacy in Talent Development

It’s easy to think such employees are unmotivated or not right for the job. But in many cases, the real issue isn’t talent or intelligence—it’s self-efficacy. This idea plays a big role in employee engagement and successful talent development in modern HR practices.
Self-efficacy, a concept put forth by Psychologist Albert Bandura, means believing you can succeed at a certain task. It is one of the biggest predictors of whether someone will even try to succeed.
If employees don’t believe they can do something, they won’t try hard. But if they do believe, they’re more likely to keep going, work hard, and improve. This belief doesn’t just come from personality or talent—it often comes from past experience.
Success builds belief. But early failure—especially without the right support or feedback—can damage it. For Nisha, that early failure became a sign that she wasn’t good enough. And since no one helped her see things differently, she shut down and stopped trying.

Coaching That Builds Confidence: One Manager’s Approach
Things improved when Nisha got a new manager, Arvind. He took a different approach to people management and employee coaching. His goal was simple: help Nisha get a few early wins.
In their first one-on-one meeting, he gave her a small, clear task with a short deadline. When she completed it, he gave quick, detailed feedback:
“You did a great job with the data cleaning. Your attention to detail will help us cut down on errors in client reports.”
Next, he asked her to build a simple dashboard using set metrics.
“That dashboard was exactly what we needed. Let’s try adding one more metric next time. You’re already making a real impact.”
These comments weren’t just compliments. They were tied directly to her actions and results. Over the next few weeks, Nisha started to change. She began speaking in meetings, asking questions, and even offering ideas. Within a few months, she was handling a complex report that used to be done by a senior associate.
So what changed?
She now had proof that her efforts mattered—and that she could succeed.

How Managers Can Help Employees Build Self-Efficacy
Self-efficacy doesn’t grow on its own. Managers can build it with consistent, thoughtful actions based on good people management and organizational behavior. Here’s how:
● Start Small, Then Build Up Give early tasks that are simple but still useful. Small wins help employees believe in their abilities and unlock their potential.
● Give Clear, Actionable Feedback Avoid vague praise. Connect effort to outcomes: “You responded to that client quickly and clearly—that improved how they see us.”
● Show the Bigger Picture Help employees see how their work fits into company goals. “This report helped the sales team focus on top leads, which supports our revenue targets.”
● Use Data to Show Growth Show numbers: faster turnaround times, fewer mistakes, or better customer scores. These facts build belief better than general encouragement.
● Tie Personal Goals to Daily Work If someone wants to lead meetings or improve presentations, create small chances to practice these skills during routine tasks.
● Talk About Confidence Often Ask: “What parts of your work do you feel good about?” and “Where do you feel stuck?” This opens a helpful conversation and lets managers support employees better.

Final Thoughts: Why Confidence Drives Performance
When employees seem unmotivated, many managers assume they’re lazy or disengaged. But often, it’s not about motivation—it’s about confidence. And that can be fixed with the right kind of support.
Spotting low self-efficacy early can stop managers from giving up on someone who has potential. Like with Nisha, a few small wins, helpful feedback, and steady belief from a manager can help someone go from disengaged to high-performing.
In talent development, helping employees believe in themselves is one of the best things a manager can do. It doesn’t require fancy HR tech or a new system—just the right mindset and habits. If employees believe they can succeed, they often do.