The confidence-competence paradox: Examining leadership capability in Indigenous higher education contexts
Year: 2026
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: This study examines a critical phenomenon in Australian higher education: the disconnect between university leaders’ self-reported confidence and experience in Indigenous contexts. Drawing on data from a national survey and in-depth interviews with 41 university executives, we identify a confidence-competence paradox in which leaders express high confidence in engaging with Indigenous peoples and communities despite limited direct experience. In this study, competence is operationalised through self-reported experience in Indigenous higher education and leadership in Indigenous contexts, rather than through external assessment, enabling examination of the gap between leaders’ confidence and their own acknowledged experience levels. We employed a mixed-method approach, utilising the Senior Leadership Capability Model (SLCM) to investigate the level of confidence and competence of executive university leaders in supporting Indigenous success. While only 22% of participants reported being very experienced in Indigenous higher education, 72% expressed confidence in Indigenous engagement. The model addresses the unrealistic expectations often placed on small numbers of Indigenous leaders who are frequently under-resourced and solely responsible for Indigenous outcomes across institutions. This paper explores the implications of the confidence-competence disconnect for leadership development, cultural competency training and sustainable institutional change.
Authors: Peter Anderson, Carla Tapia Parada, Thu Pham
Language: English
Subfield: Health
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W7202167263