Pygmalion...

 

Does your manager believe in you, and do you feel that?

Early in my career, I had a manager who believed in me way more than I believed in myself.

I’d barely started in the role, still figuring things out, when they gave me a project that felt out of my league.

I remember thinking “What if I fail?” being fresh in the role.

I remember saying, “Are you sure I’m the right person for this?”

Their words said it all. “Yes, because I see where you’re going, not just where you are.”

That moment changed everything. Their belief gave me a sense of potential I hadn’t seen in myself.

That’s the Pygmalion Effect in action.

🧠 Behavioural science tells us people tend to live up (or down) to the expectations placed on them.

🔹 A manager believes in someone’s potential → that person grows into it.

🔹 Another doubts their team quietly → performance starts to dip and confidence and ambition shrink.

And people, consciously or not, respond to that belief that is projected.

I think about how I can embed that with my children, friends, peers, employees.

What expectations am I silently setting?

✅ Am I projecting confidence in them?

✅ Am I calling out potential early, or waiting for "proof"?

✅ Am I leading with belief — the kind that makes people rise?

Belief isn’t fluff. It’s fuel.

The expectations we carry — and the ones we place on others — matter more than we think.

Have a think on how your words, actions and tone are being projected!