Whether you’re a newbie still earning your stripes or simply struggling to be heard above more bullish colleagues, feeling confident at work isn’t always easy.
Whilst out for a glass of wine (or five) with friends, you’re full of impassioned speeches and detailed plans for revolutionising the business – and you’re not afraid to shout about them.
You’ve got plenty of ideas about that latest project and more than a few criticisms on how things are run, but actually voicing them at work? Well, that’s when all your bravado disappears.
As soon as you’re in a meeting or a dreaded appraisal, those opinions you felt so strongly about the night before seem to vanish.
What you need to do is beat your nerves, silence your inner worrywart and learn how to speak up – not much to ask, right?
It’s a big challenge, so to help you get started we’re sharing three top strategies for boosting your self-confidence.
#1 Dress for success
#2 Fine-tune your skills
#3 Develop confidence in your public speaking
#1 Dress for success
Wearing a killer outfit that makes you feel invincible, even when you want to crawl back into bed and ignore all work responsibilities, is a great way of giving your confidence levels a kick.
Yup, it’s time to embrace the concept of power dressing, and it isn’t just a lame excuse to buy your entire ASOS wish list in one go (although we won’t judge if you do). An actual scientific study proved that wearing formal clothing makes people feel more powerful and think more positively.
A scientific study proved that wearing formal clothing makes people feel more powerful and positive. Click To TweetSo figure out what does it for you, be it a suit or a red shift dress, and walk into work with your head held high.
#2 Fine-tune your skills
Is there anything more cringe-worthy or completely soul-destroying than being asked a question in a meeting and having no idea how to answer?
Those kinds of mind blank moments will quickly destroy any shred of confidence you’ve managed to muster that day, so make sure you’ve always got something to say by fine-tuning your skills and building your knowledge.
Sign up to a distance learning course (Anglia Ruskin University lets you complete a degree in business studies online) and you’ll soon have lots to bring to the table. At the very least, knowing you’ve got an extra diploma will help you believe more in your own abilities.
#3 Develop confidence in your public speaking
The prospect of delivering a speech in front of a crowd can have even the most experienced and knowledgeable of businesspeople breaking out in a cold sweat, so don’t be too hard on yourself if you find it hard to speak up.
Whether it’s a small meeting that’s got your hands trembling or a massive conference you’re dreading, sometimes it’s just the physical act of talking in front of people that’s difficult.
Practice will make it easier, but you can also soothe your nerves by making sure you’re fully prepared. Do some research beforehand and turn up with notes or questions to ask.
Boosting your self-confidence will take time, it won’t just magically happen overnight, so be patient with yourself. Follow our top three tips and you’ll soon start feeling better.
Post written by Claire McPhillimy
