Whether in the field of sports, politics or business, confidence in one’s ability to do well now and in the future is critically important for success. At the moment, the world of sports, politics and business seem to be causing more anxiety among those who follow these different human activities.

For many, confidence in the future is notable for its absence.

The world of professional sports has been lambasted by protracted revelations about corruption. The Fifa scandal involving Sepp Blatter and Michel Platini, among others, has taken the shine off this popular sport. Multinational sponsors sensed that these developments were doing them no good as they shattered ordinary sports lovers’ confidence in the way that international football was managed.

More recent revelations about malpractices in international cycling show that the malaise of corruption in sports is more widespread than anyone imagined.

The world of politics is no less accident prone. Politicians who promise heaven on earth when not in power but then fail to deliver the goods earn the scorn of decent people who see the quality of their lives deteriorate as a result of unemployment, widening gaps between the haves and the have nots and stories of political sleaze.

When people lose confidence in traditional political parties, they are easily lured by populist rhetoric. They take risks by supporting extreme parties that offer hope but no real solutions for the future.

The US presidential election has shown how political dialogue can degenerate into nothing short of insults and personal attacks. But I fear more the smooth-talking politicians who prefer to be surrounded by spin doctors and manipulate the media to depict them in a favourable light with the electorate. Form has indeed replaced substance in politics and people seem not to be shocked when their politicians lie.

In Europe, the political scenario is increasingly becoming a confidence killer. Despite the happy talk coming from Brussels, the major EU economies continue to struggle.

I fear more the smooth-talking politicians who prefer to be surrounded by spin doctors and manipulate the media to depict them in a favourable light with the electorate

The refugees’ problems, the tense political relations with Russia, stubbornly high unemployment, and the increasing tightening of regulatory controls on banks are killing the little confidence that most ordinary people may have had about their future prospects.

The business world has had more than its fair share of bad decisions that have shaken the confidence of many consumers.

The Volkswagen scandal is not the only major abuse by multinationals of the trust of millions of people. It seems that cheating to avoid the consequence of strict controls there to protect consumers is very widespread – not only in the car industry but also in financial services. Tax evasion or avoidance by giant multinationals like Google and Apple are the proverbial tip of the iceberg as greed seems to be the main value that motivated some important business leaders.

Before ordinary people regain confidence in the future, financial markets will continue to be volatile, political governance will slide further in most countries, and economic growth will not regain the lively pace that is needed to ensure that more people improve the quality of their lives.

The agenda for change in all these fields lies in the hands of politicians who, in a democratic system, have the power to create the environment that will promote economic growth, curb abuse, and offer ordinary people a fair deal to prosper.

To do this, political leaders need to be more honest with the people they lead. Populism and the media hype used to promulgate it in the homes of all people may get some politicians elected but the chickens will always come home to roost.

Disillusioned citizens will lose the little confidence they may have in the future if their leaders become obsessed with one thing: hanging on to power at all costs.

Business leaders also need to rethink their strategies to win back the confidence not only of their customers but also of their employees. Fear about the future is killing the much-needed confidence needed to make people more productive, work harder and make society safer by their actions.

The long-term effects of the big changes in our society will become more obvious as time goes by.

Young people who feel uncertain about the future may decide to postpone forming a family as they concentrate on living in the present with little confidence about their future prospects.

More than an economic revolution the world needs a renaissance of human values to prosper.

johncassarwhite@yahoo.com