Dr. Nick van Dam and Dr. Jacqueline Brassey present their book ‘Advancing Authentic Confidence Through Emotional Flexibility’

Dr. Nick van Dam, Chief Learning Officer of IE University and Head of the IE Center for Learning Innovation, Dr. Jacqueline Brassey, Adjunct Professor at IE University and a member of the Center of Learning Innovation, together with Professor Dr. Arjen van Witteloostuijn (Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam) presented their book Advancing Authentic Confidence Through Emotional Flexibility in Amsterdam last August, which has recently been presented in Madrid. The book reflects the importance of developing self-confidence to perform well and improve employability, especially in the digital age.

Principally aimed at managers, entrepreneurs and academics looking to improve their performance, the book will also help anybody seeking to develop 'authentic confidence'. A lack of self-confidence, say the authors, impairs job performance and limits professional success. As Steven C. Hayes, Professor of Psychology at the University of Nevada, says, "the authors transform self-confidence and assurance into something one should produce and not as something we should wait to happen."

"After all, we really learn the most from our mistakes."

The book’s teaching potential means it will be used in some IE University programs, such as Nick’s International Masterclass on Learning & Development Leadership, as well as  the Executive Master in Positive Leadership, Strategy & Transformation. Contents will be included as part of the IE Center of Health, Well-being and Happiness initiatives. It should be noted that the royalties from the manuscript will be donated entirely to Save The Children.

"Employees only work well in new positions if they have sufficient self-confidence and are not afraid to make mistakes. After all, we really learn the most from our mistakes. If we don't feel safe, we tend to avoid talking, we don't give feedback to our seniors, we don't ask for feedback on our work and we don't even think about promotion. In more extreme cases we will suffer from exhaustion from spending so much time worrying. Basically, we're not the best version of ourselves. It's important that companies start responding to this crisis of self-confidence now, for the sake of long-term employability," says Dr. Nick van Dam.

Dr. Nick van Dam joined the IE University team as Chief Learning Officer and Chief of the IE Center for Learning Innovation last February, and is also a professor of Corporate Learning and Leadership Development. Nick has more than 30 years of professional experience as Chief Learning Officer, HR Executive and Client Advisor at McKinsey & Company, Deloitte and Siemens, as well as other large companies. He is also a professor at Nyenrode Business Universiteit (Netherlands), as well as an adjunct professor at the University of Pennsylvania (USA).