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Well? Issue 4: Spring/Summer 2004

Towards a Confident Scotland

Dr Carol Craig has been involved in personal and team development in Scotland for over 10 years, during which time she has worked with a wide range of people and organisations. Last year she published a book, The Scots' Crisis of Confidence, which examines the historical and cultural aspects of why Scots are so apparently reluctant to "blow their own trumpet".

"As a training consultant in Scotland, I'm continually struck by how we Scots lack confidence in every aspect of our lives.

For example, how often would we rather say nothing at meetings than draw attention to ourselves? What about our pessimistic attitudes to the Scottish football team? Then consider some of Scotland's appalling mental and physical health statistics.

But when I started researching my book it was clear that people usually cite England as the sole reason for the Scottish confidence problem. Of course, politics and our relationship with England have some part to play. But Scottish confidence is kept in check much more by what your granny, your teacher or your colleagues say to you, than it is by any constitutional issue.

Strangers to Scotland soon learn that one of the biggest gaffes they can make is to indulge in self-praise. The Scots don't like people who "fancy their barra", "blow their own trumpet" or pat themselves on the back, and anyone who forgets this unwritten rule may be rebuked with a sly, sarcastic comment. "Getting above yourself" is also frowned upon.

It's not difficult to see where this levelling impulse springs from. The Kirk, Robert Burns and the Labour Movement have all nourished the notion that it's wrong for people to think they're better than others. But, ironically, as Scottish society is far from equal, the "don't get above yourself" mentality only serves to reinforce, rather than challenge, inequality.

"Strangers to Scotland soon learn that one of the biggest gaffes they can make is to indulge in self-praise"

The key to understanding what Robert Louis Stevenson once called "a strong Scots accent of the mind" lies in Scotland's religious past. For example, the widespread fear of drawing attention to yourself is rooted in centuries of Scotland's rigid church disciplines when it was commonplace for elders to check up on you on a Sunday.

"We have discouraged the type of understanding we now call 'emotional intelligence'"

It's also understandable that in a culture once gripped by Calvinist thought, with its tendency to polarise everything into strict either/or terms, there's a paralysing terror of "getting it wrong" and making mistakes.

I certainly don't blame Knox and Calvin for all modern Scotland's problems. Indeed, I believe this Presbyterian legacy has contributed to many of the positive features of Scottish culture - the strong notion of mission and purpose, the sense of social responsibility and the emphasis on learning, for example.

Historically, Scottish culture has also elevated the importance of logic and principles and downplayed the importance of feelings and subjective values. It has discouraged the development of self-awareness or the type of understanding we would now call 'emotional intelligence'.

This is why I knew it was pointless to write a personal development book or self-help guide and concentrated instead on writing a cultural critique aimed primarily at policy makers and leaders who need to better understand Scottish attitudes.

I was right. As a result of my book, policy makers are now acknowledging the importance of confidence for Scotland.

This is a huge step forward in a country where traditionally there has been little willingness to be honest with ourselves about the effect of our own attitudes and behaviours on our mental health and well-being.

We need to act now to close the confidence gap in Scotland."

Carol Craig believes that many Scots are reluctant to challenge ideas of individuality, creativity and enterprise in case they are criticised, denounced or ostracised, and that there are a number of beliefs and attitudes which lead to conformity including:

• A strong tendency to criticise and focus on what is wrong with something, rather than to praise, appreciate or be positive.

• An overwhelming sense that people's behaviour can be judged right or wrong, worthwhile or useless.

• A prevailing notion that if anyone makes a mistake or does anything wrong, no excuses will be permitted in their defence and that they should be blamed and criticised for their misdemeanours.

• An undeveloped sense of privacy: everything you do in life could be the focus of others' criticism and censure.

• A general belief that you are not ok just as you are and that you must compete and prove your worth.

• A strong set of egalitarian values which stress that no one is more important than anyone else and a culture where people are routinely put down if they are seen to get above themselves.

• A prevailing belief that it is better if people do not like themselves too much.

• A strong sense that if you question Scottish values or step outside conventional behaviour or opinions your very right to call yourself "Scottish" may be under threat.

www.carolcraig.co.uk
Readers of Well? can buy The Scots' Crisis of Confidence at the discount price of 12.50 by phoning BookSource on 08702 402182.Readers of Well? can buy The Scots' Crisis of Confidence at the discount price of 12.50 by phoning BookSource on 08702 402182.

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