DISCASIAPLUS
From “I can’t” to “I can” – Self-Efficacy to break Limiting Beliefs
In the previous post, we have discussed the effectiveness of using cognitive behavioural coaching to address limiting beliefs which constrict the growth and growth potential of individuals. Effective as it is, the intervention requires the involvement between 2 persons – the coach and the individual. No account of how learning occurs in the social world have been factored in the approach. This seems paradoxical given that social environment in which we live and work creates the social realm where we horned our abilities and perspectives. For this reason, Social Cognitive Theory fills the gap that people are active agents who learn through observation and interaction within a social context. People shape and are shaped by others similar to themselves and this is where dyadic coaching need to capitalise on.
The person who developed Social Cognitive Theory is Albert Bandura. While Bandura’s early work involved children, he soon realised that even if an individual possesses the required skills to accomplish a task, he would not act unless he is confident that it will produce the desired results. In other words, being competent does not guarantee performance. Possessing the right skills does not drive behaviours but the cognitive belief that he can successfully complete the task determining whether he will even attempt to try is. In this sense, it is not about what we can do but what we believe we can do which goes back to the power of cognitive beliefs. It is at this stage that the evolution of self-efficacy took root.
Self-efficacy – the belief in one’s ability to succeed in specific situations or accomplish a task or desired outcomes. A person with high self-efficacy views challenges as opportunities for mastery and not as threats to be avoided. They tend to recover better and faster from failures from which it provides learning lessons. On the contrary, those with low self-efficacy view challenging situations as personal threats as they lack the self-confidence in their own skills and abilities. This often results in reduced motivation, diminished effort and loss in momentum in their performance. Understanding self-efficacy provides coaches and mentors with a powerful psychological framework for addressing limiting beliefs, building confidence, and facilitating sustainable behavioral change.
The four main sources identified by Bandura to increase self-efficacy are:
Mastery Experiences – the most effective way to build self-efficacy is to succeed in task performances especially when the environment is challenging in the face of adversity. Success builds up the belief in personal capability. When successful experiences are repeated, it reinforce the belief that one is able to adapt, cope and perform effectively.
Vicarious Experiences – occurs when we learn from others. Seeing someone similar to ourselves succeed inspires the belief that similar success is achievable. A common adage “if he can do it, so can I” encourages us to believe in ourselves. Modelling is particularly useful for people who are at the stage of early development and are unsure of themselves at the inception.
Verbal Persuasion – reflects the social dimension of human development. When an individual receives support, encouragement and is positively persuaded that he has the ability and capability to complete the task, his self-efficacy increases and self-doubt decreases. This is where dialogue and coaching provide the framework through which self-efficacy is nurtured and sustained.
Physiological and Emotional States – alters self-efficacy when a person’s psychological and emotional states are induced. When a person is constantly plagued with fear, anxiety and apprehension, the level of performance dips which invariably reduces the belief in one’s own capabilities. This is another reason why understanding a person’s innate emotional response and stress patterns is another critical factor in strengthening self-efficacy.
Integrated Self-Efficacy with DISC AsiaPlus Model
Self-efficacy provides the bridge between knowledge and action; it is the central engine of social cognitive theory – the belief in one’s capability. Self-efficacy is not about skills acquisition but about belief formation. When behavioural and personality profiling is infused and personalized, the probability of success increases. The following is a practical example of integrating DISCAsiaPlus in the coaching enterprise with an example of the “D” profile across all four sources:
Verbal Persuasion is not simply praising the individual, rather it is credible transmission of belief. The DISCAsiaPlus personalizes the language. A “D” responds readily to confidence and capability language. Strength framing and respect affirming language uplift the “D” individual.
In Physiological and Emotional States, emotional safety is important for learning and the “D” individual is no exception. Understanding the triggers of stress for the “D” and the emotional reactions provide strategies for the “D” individual to regulate their emotions. Indecisiveness, and procrastination trigger feelings of anxiety and apprehension and undermine confidence. Cognitive reframing and emotional regulation can stabilize and prevent the “D” from derailing in their effort to increase self-efficacy.
While cognitive behaviour coaching operates at the individual level, social cognitive theory and by association, self-efficacy places the individual in the social world which is the primary theatre of operation. When these theories are integrated and combined with DISCAsiaPlus – a model of behavioural tendencies, the outcome is a development framework that produces empowered, adaptive, and self-directed individuals capable of sustained growth within real organisational and social systems.