Capability Lever #2: Confidence

Welcome to part 2 in our series on The Colaborix AI Adoption Pilot study. In Part 1, we addressed Trust as an often overlooked lever in the process of effective AI adoption. Today, we will discuss another factor that increases the human capability in the midst of a technical integration.

In our AI adoption pilot, one factor turned early curiosity into measurable performance: confidence. It is the bridge between trust and action

After four sessions of structured team coaching:

→ Coached teams saw +22% confidence

→ Non-coached teams saw –6.5%, 28-point swing in just eight weeks.

Same tools. Same self-paced training. The difference? Teams who believed they could succeed — and helped each other prove it.

Confidence isn’t just a personal trait. It’s a shared signal that a team feels secure to experiment, learn, and act without fear of failure. That’s when AI stops being “another tool” and starts becoming an ally.

And the evidence is clear: meta-analyses have found that self-efficacy — our belief in our capability to perform — is one of the most reliable predictors of workplace performance. Confidence doesn’t just feel good; it delivers results.

What leaders can do now:

1️⃣ Start Every Week with a Win Review - Ask: “Where did AI make something easier last week?” Small wins reinforce shared capability.

2️⃣ Frame AI Experiments as Learning, Not Judgment - Confidence collapses under pressure to “get it right.” Keep the focus on discovery.

3️⃣ Coach in Real Workflows Instead of Information Dumps. - Training builds awareness. Coaching in context builds belief. That is when confidence meets competence.

4️⃣ Celebrate Confidence, Not Just Usage - Usage frequency isn’t adoption. The real indicator is how confidently people apply AI to create value.

Confidence is the turning point that transforms potential into measurable results.

Curious about the pilot study results? Read the full study.