Confidence isn't optimism or pessimism, and it's not a character attribute. It's the expectation of a positive outcome.

Nations need to understand their own strengths and weaknesses, and India's tradition of dissent and democratic debate is a positive aspect.

Confidence is contagious, but so is failure. Even the Yankees will lose if you persuade them that they will.

Organizational structures that allow divisions and departments to own their turf and people with long tenure to take root creates the same hardened group distinctions as Congressional redistricting to produce homogeneous voting blocs - all of which makes it easier to resist compromise, let alone collaboration.