New Delhi, March 24 -- Every time a man explains their jobs, their interests or their lives to them-and it happens with the frequency of traffic jams in Bengaluru-female friends will say, "I wish I had that confidence". Overconfidence, or an overestimation of or a misplaced belief in one's own capabilities and opinions, is an epidemic in the world of work, dating and leisure. Multiple studies show that men, in general, are more overconfident than women, which gives them an advantage. There's the famous case study from Hewlett-Packard, for instance, which found that women applied for a promotion only when they believed they met 100% of the qualifications, while men applied even when they thought they met just 60% of the requirements.

A sh...