The Dunning-Kruger effect

A #cognitive-bias that states that people with low ability at a task might overestimate their ability. Once that threshold is shattered, the path for sustainable confidence opens.

Confidence
|
|                    
|   mount stupid    
|   ______         > Plateau of sustainability
|  /      \       /
| /        \_____/
|/______________________________________________
                      Competence

The main struggle here is to get away from mount stupid as fast as possible, which is hard since you are usually oblivious about being there. Try to be humble and know that there is always more about what you think you are an expert at.

When facing people stuck on mount stupid, try to show them a glimpse of the bigger universe, so they can get out of that vicious place.

[#stanier-effective-manager] on its 10th chapter suggests that a good way to give that glimpse is collecting a short list of facts with proofs.

Sources: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunning%E2%80%93Kruger_effect

[#stanier-effective-manager]: Stanier, Dr. James. Become an Effective Software Engineering Manager. 1st ed. S.l.: Pragmatic Bookshelf, 2020.