Do you feel as though you could be more confident at work? Maybe you feel as though you are not pushing yourself as much as you could. Perhaps you are intentionally holding yourself back. Either way, if this sounds like you then you have to remember that you are not alone. So many people are in the same situation as you. But there are steps you can take to build your confidence on the job.
Undertake Training
Developing the skills that you rely on for your job is the best way for you to boost your confidence. When you increase your skills or when you learn something new, you will then be able to perform better within your role. This can have a positive influence on the way that you conduct yourself. So be mindful of that. Consider attending a professional development meeting if you can as well. This will help you to know what your weaknesses are so you can proceed to work on them going forward.
Learn New Skills
Learning new skills is often the best way for you to build your confidence. Choose to exercise your overall development and continually expand on your capabilities. If you can do this, and apply it to your job, you will see an improvement in no time. You may also find that your productivity increases as well. This can help you to take on new tasks quickly and efficiently.
Dress the Part
This may sound superficial. But, consider your professional wardrobe for a second. Think about all the ways that you can improve your work appearance. It may be that you need to opt for a more professional haircut or that you need to buy some new work shirts. If you want a new haircut then you may want to look into types of taper haircuts, as they are ideal for an office environment. Dressing more professionally will help you to appear more sophisticated in front of your peers. Which can give you a boost of confidence. As the old adage goes, dress for the job you want, not the job you have.
Leave Your Comfort Zone
Leaving your comfort zone can be one of the most effective ways for you to boost the amount of confidence you have in yourself. It may be that you have always dreaded having to give a presentation. But if you can push yourself to do this and come out the other side. Then you may find that you become a better professional as a result. You will be able to take on more responsibility and you can also stop your anxiety from getting in the way of your professional development. Stepping out of your comfort zone can also give you a lot of opportunities that you might have missed in the past. So this is something you do not want to miss out on. Army veteran, burn survivor, actor, motivational speaker, New York Times best-selling author, J. R. Martinez once said “I’ve learned in my life that it is important to be able to step outside your comfort zone and be challenged with something you’re not familiar or accustomed to. That challenge will allow you to see what you can do.”
Emulate Others & Get Feedback
If your peers appear to be very confident then one thing you can do is emulate them. You can also try and set short-term goals for yourself. If you do this then you will be able to expand on your capabilities overall. Evaluating each success and being critical of yourself is also important. Your peers can help you here. Ask them to give you some constructive feedback or even chat with them to see if you can do anything to stand out in the workplace more. Little things like this can make a major difference to the way you feel and it can also highlight a new way forward for you. Basketball icon the late Kobe Bryant was famous for cold calling the greats, not jus in the NBA but in all industries to pick their brain and solicit feedback on his game and overall goals.
Focus on Your Strengths
Focusing in your strengths is the best way for you to build your confidence. It requires you to measure your success and your abilities. Professionals who focus on perfecting their work often look into their failures too much. If you spend a lot of time dwelling on all of the things you have done wrong then this will hold you back. So make sure that you think about your strengths and how you can push yourself forward. If you can do this then everything else will fall into place.
Don’t Be Negative
Another huge factor when it comes to confidence building is assessing the way that you see yourself. If you know that you are just too critical then you may need to take steps to stop this. Practice some self-affirming techniques such as focusing on the success you have experienced in the past. Or even journaling what skills you happen to admire the most about yourself. Continue with the evaluation and take note of any positive career improvements you have made. If you can do this, and if you can praise yourself when you deserve it, then there’s no reason why you can’t begin to see yourself in a more positive light. You never know, you may even end up exceeding your manager’s expectations with your new burst of confidence too.
Ask Questions
Asking questions and being somewhat assertive is a very good way for you to boost your career confidence. Try to make it a habit to ask at least one question every single time you have a team meeting. You might also want to do this during project planning sessions so you can clarify any information that might be convoluted otherwise. The best thing about you doing this is that it shows your team members and your supervisors that you are willing to take the initiative and that you will speak up when you require new direction. By doing this regularly, you can then make sure that your confidence improves and that you are always able to contribute to the team. If you can’t speak up because everyone in the office is always talking over each other. Then one thing you can do is chat with your manager about this. It’s their job to make sure that everyone’s comfortable. If you aren’t then something has to change. See if you can partake in smaller meetings, or if you can speak with people one-on-one so you can figure out how to contribute your opinion without being overridden.
This article is a partnered post that contains affiliate links.