The magic and minefield of confidence

The magic and minefield of confidence

CONFIDENCE is contagious. Someone declaring a position with ringing certainty is more likely to inspire than someone who hedges their bets. “We may fight them on the beaches; it depends a bit on the weather,” would have been a lot less persuasive. What is true of Winston Churchill’s wartime oratory is true in less-dramatic circumstances. A study by Matthias Brauer of the University of Mannheim and his co-authors analysed language used in letters