Building Self-Confidence At Work

Introduction – Projecting the right level of self-confidence can create a favourable impression at work, amongst superiors, peers and team members. In this brief article my endeavour is to provide some insights on how to build self-confidence at work, in order to become a star performer.

Identify your Strengths and Weaknesses – Knowing your strengths and weaknesses will help you focus on what you are good at and work on areas where you need to improve. One of the methods of identifying your strengths and weaknesses is to seek the advice of others. Colleagues, peers, friends and even family members can help in assessing strengths and weaknesses. Another method which you could use is by conducting a candid self-assessment test. Where do your strengths lie? What areas do you need to improve? Be truthful in your answers!

2. Believe in Yourself – Self-belief is trusting our capabilities, capacities, and judgments. The belief that we can meet the demands of a task. It is something you can build up and it is a great quality to have when you are working. A person with self-belief knows their worth and value. An effective way to develop self-belief is by facing your fears. People with self-belief will usually reach the peak of their careers faster.

Find Ways to Advance your Skills – Keep adding to your professional worth by learning new skills. If there are areas you feel less confident or skilled in, make a plan and map out steps you can take to improve these areas. When you see new opportunities to learn new skills, go for it. In your company if there is a new project that aligns with your skills set volunteer for it. The more you sharpen your skills the more confident you will be.

Always be Prepared – Being prepared is another attribute of selfconfident people. Before Making a Presentation/Pitching for a Project check through it carefully.

If you are not confident enough, practice in front of a mirror before you make the presentation. Do your research well and be ready to answer any questions. Maintain your composure, remaining in control even when you feel uncertain, nervous, or make a mistake. Rectify your Mistakes with Confidence – Everyone makes mistakes on the job. After all we are all human, but it is important to take responsibility when you have made a mistake. Confidence comes from your ability to recover from mistakes. Without trying to cover up your mistake come up with a plan to fix the problem. This is a way of acknowledging that you have made a mistake.

Getting Out of your Comfort Zone – While it may sound counter-intuitive, trying new things and taking risks can in fact grow your confidence at work. Staying in a comfort zone is ultimately restrictive. As we make a habit of venturing into uncomfortable situations, our confidence begins to stretch and grow with us. Personal growth and development often require venturing out of your comfort zone.

Be Proactive – Proactive employees prepare for challenges and expect improved chances of success. A proactive employee will think ahead. When a problem arises, they will look for solutions right away without waiting for direction. Go above and beyond what people expect of you and do more than what you are expected to do. Proactive employees are highly independent and do not procrastinate.

Fake Until you Make it – Even if you are not completely confident with your work abilities, act like you are. Acting confident is extremely important. Do not get flustered when asked to do something new and do not make excuses. You can always ask for clarification and help if you are not sure of the work you are doing. Acting dominant and confident makes others believe you are competent. This in turn makes you trust yourself more.

9. Avoid Being Arrogant – Speaking as if you are better than anyone else is a sign of arrogance. As your confidence grows and you become successful avoid feeling or acting superior to others. Be modest and act with humility when you are given recognition for a job that has been done well. It will do well to remember that arrogance is widely viewed as a negative trait. 10.Find a Good Mentor – Having a mentor at work is crucial to attaining new skills and knowledge. A good mentor will help you solve some of the challenges and roadblocks you face. The best mentors will help you figure out the next steps that work for you and help guide you over hurdles that come up in your work life. Excellent mentors will be the people who tell you what you need to hear and not what you want to hear. 11.Focus on Your Successes – Experiencing success is essential to building confidence. Remind yourself of all the successful projects you have done to boost confidence in your abilities at work. Identify your accomplishments, whether they are big or small. Recalling successful times at work is a better way to boost confidence instead of constantly focusing on the negatives. 12.Keeping Calm When Under Pressure – Staying calm and collected when you are under pressure is not always easy, but it is a great skill to cultivate. If you feel confident about a task, then you will likely feel calm about doing it. When you feel less confident you are more likely to be stressed out or nervous. Keeping your cool could be the difference between feeling like you are successful, or like you are struggling. 13.Ask Questions – Never be afraid to ask questions when you do not know something. Not knowing everything, whether it is because you are new to the job or have incomplete information, can make you feel insecure and lead to a lack of confidence. Ask for clarification. This will help you feel more knowledgeable about your task and also give you more confidence to carry out the task. 14.Stop Comparing Yourself to Others – Making comparisons is natural. But it is not likely to help boost your self-confidence. It may even have the opposite effect. When you continually compare yourself to others, you risk losing sight of your value, potential, and self-confidence. Appreciate and focus on what you have, your strengths, what you have achieved and what you have learnt. This will boost your selfconfidence.

15.Dress for Success – If you feel good about your appearance you are very likely to have more selfesteem, which in turn will make you feel more confident. Be well groomed. Pay attention to your personal appearance and dress for success. Your clothes do not have to be expensive but be neat. The way you walk, the way you sit, your smile, your gestures, your facial impressions all add up to how people will see you. All this will help you in gaining self-confidence.

Conclusion – There is a clear link between self-confidence and personality building. Strong confident personalities demonstrate self-confidence at all times. Never doubt your abilities and compare yourself with others. You are a unique personality and brand and let that inspire you to greatness.

“Confidence comes not from always being

right, but from not fearing to be wrong”

Peter T McIntyre