Confidence is not something that everyone has. Not all of us are able to walk into a room and exude charisma and panache, but confidence is a trait that can help immensely in the workplace. It can help you to interact with your colleagues, keep you motivated during stressful times and can also boost your productivity during the working day.
If you are not sure on how to gain confidence and are curious as to why it is so important in the workplace, read on for some helpful advice.
Why is confidence so important?
Assertiveness gives you an edge
Being assertive does not mean that you are aggressive or arrogant. Assertiveness means that you are able to take initiative on tasks and handle pressure without too much stress. It also means that you are willing to take on new challenges in the workplace.
Being confident and assertive will help you to reach new heights in your career. Your employer will notice that you are able to handle stressful tasks with ease and that you are able to create solutions to problems using your own ideas. Confidence will help to boost your performance in the office and this could, in turn, lead to a possible promotion as well.
Effective communication works wonders
Being able to communicate clearly and effectively is a major asset to have in any office. Having confidence allows you to do this easily, enabling you to effectively get your message across to colleagues and clients.
Putting forward an air of confidence when communicating might sound difficult at first, but if you practise, it will become easier. Communication skills are at the top of almost every employer’s list when it comes to recruiting new talent, and being self-confident will help to build these skills. A confident person believes in their communication abilities, which shows in their verbal and written language.
Productivity levels are boosted
If you are confident in yourself and in your work, you are more likely to be more productive. This is because you will not have to second-guess your work and you can complete tasks on time and on budget.
Productive workers are highly valued in any company, and confidence goes hand-in-hand with producing work. You will be able to take on more projects, challenge yourself to move out of your comfort zone and reach new goals for your company. Your employer will notice that you produce high quality work and this could lead to new challenges, a role change and even a promotion.
How to gain confidence in the workplace
Shift your views
Confident people rarely think about how others impact them, rather they think about the impact they have on others. In order to gain confidence, you will need to shift your views and think about how you can and do impact your colleagues.
This shift in view will empower you as you will realise that it is what you do that matters and not what others do to you. You should also look at how you handle pressure. If you are usually someone who needs guidance in difficult situations, try to change your viewpoint to seeing yourself as someone who can give advice in stressful times. A simple shift of view can help you to feel more self-confident, and others will soon follow suit.
Tell people you will finish the task
Feeling confident starts with stating your goals. Let people know that you will finish a task at work, and go on to finish that task. By voicing your goals to your team, you are holding yourself accountable, which will help to boost your confidence.
Saying your goals out loud will give you credibility and people will take note that you always stay true to your word. You must be sure that anything you take on can be finished by the deadline, otherwise incomplete tasks and a huge workload can diminish your confidence. Be sure to manage your time wisely and you will be able to finish any task you set your mind to.
Improve your knowledge
You can easily build your confidence by improving your knowledge and learning more. This can be done easily, by watching TED Talks on topics that interest you, attending seminars on how to build self-confidence or taking online courses in your field.
Confidence grows when you learn more about a topic that you enjoy or when you gain more skills in your field. You will also have new knowledge that can contribute to your position, which will help to boost your confidence too. It is never too late to learn something new and you should never let your age prohibit you from taking courses or going to seminars.
Final thoughts
Being confident can help in many ways in the workplace. You will be more productive, you will be able to communicate effectively and you will become more assertive too. These are all traits that employers look for in potential talent, so building your confidence is a win for both you and the company. Improve your knowledge, shift your views and hold yourself accountable in order to boost your confidence and enjoy work even more.