How To Build Confidence At Work

When the book from Sharyl Sanberg “Lean In” became a New York best seller, it opened up the conversation of how women lack confidence at work. There are multiple reasons why men seem to have more confidence then women at the office, from genetics to social norms. The great news is that women can confidence at work through practice.

I personal battle at my work to find my voice at the office, so reading these 2 books really help me understand that I am not alone and I can work on my confidence. You can find many articles summarizing the key points to Lean In, with helpful tips but it’s sometimes harder to put into action.

Here are 3 ways I have found to help me become more confidence at my workplace,

Come Prepared 

This particularly goes for meetings of any kind. It’s easier to feel confident when you know your prepared and have points to contribute to a meeting. When you don’t, it’s easier to take the back seat and fade into the background. There is a study in the book The Confidence Code that says those who speak out in group setting are often seen as the most knowledgable, even if it is not true. By making sure your voice heard

Everyday take one risk 

It’s hard to step out of your comfort zone, since it’s easier to rationalize the alternative. The key to creating an impact in your workspace is to take risks. Men I work with never seem to be afraid to make mistakes since they know they have the capabilities to bounce back, and guess what…so do we. So everyday when you talk yourself out of attending a meeting or getting on a call just think of why it will benefit you and use that as the motivation.

Be competitive especially with yourself 

If your like me, we excel at being team players. This is great for our co-workers but not so great when we want to stand out. To combat this take every opportunity to see things as a competition with yourself and other. For example, when given an assignment make it your mission to do your best every single time. Just remember being competitive doesn’t mean being malicious. In other words try to improve in everything you do, and you will stand out from the rest.

-Denise