Even though the words Trust and Confidence appear almost similar in meaning, there is a difference between these two words. Confidence refers to the assurance that we have on someone. Trust, on the other hand, refers to the firm belief that one has on another individual. When considering both words, it is often hard to differentiate one from the other. This is because these words are very much linked to one another. We have confidence in the people that we trust and vice versa. Through this article, we attempt to clarify the two terms and highlight the difference, for better understanding.
What is Confidence?
Confidence is the assurance that we have on other people. This can be our friends, colleagues, employers and employees, etc. It is the belief that they can perform something or else the reliability that we have on a person. For example, an employer delegates a special project to one of his employees. When asked he replies with ‘I have confidence in him.’ This highlights that the employer believes that the employee has the potential and necessary skill set to perform the task. If he replied with ‘Because I trust him’, this indicates something else. As he replies with the word confidence, it also suggests that the past performance has influenced his decision. This allows one to identify that confidence is built on experiences. Confidence is a very important quality especially in the working environment. For example, if a leader does not have confidence in his followers then it is very unlikely that the followers would be motivated to follow the leader. Also, unless a person has confidence in others, he would not be very positive of the outcome. This will lead him to perform most tasks by himself. When a leader is not delegating authority, but clinging on to very task without giving others the opportunity, this affects the group dynamics.
What is Trust?
Trust is the belief that we have on another. It even hints that the person in question would believe the other person without evidence or questioning. Trust can have a rationale basis in some cases, but in others, people tend to trust others without any rationale. In relationships and friendships, trust is treated as a core element. This is because the friends or partners are willing to accept the other without any questioning. When a relationship does not have trust, it leads to many problems. Trust may not be built on past scenarios or experiences; it may come from within the individual. For example, when we say I trust you, it comes from the familiarity with which one associates another.
Trust is the core of a relationship
What is the difference between Trust and Confidence?
• Confidence refers to the assurance that we have on someone.
• Trust refers to the firm belief that one has on another individual.
• Confidence is built on experiences, but trust is not.
• A person can have a rationale basis for trusting another. Else a person can blindly trust another person. This quality cannot be seen in Confidence.
Images Courtesy:
- Employee by Walmart (CC BY 2.0)
- Couple by 日:Muramasa (CC BY-SA 3.0)