Confidence in the workplace is critical for achievement and growth for you and your team. You might be a capable and hardworking employee or leader but without confidence you will not be able to achieve to your fullest potential. Building confidence at work does not mean you need to change who you are or drastically alter your work style. But there are many small things you can do to build confidence and become a better employee and leader.

Why We Need Confidence

In a previous post we have talked about the importance of and why we need confidence. In the workplace, displaying confidence shows others that we know what we are doing, are credible, and are capable of taking on a task. Although you know that you are suited for an upcoming promotion or know that you should be in charge of that big account, your employer may not see you as the right choice if you don’t exude confidence.

The good news is that there are many things you can do to help build confidence in the workplace. It is important to remember that building your own self-confidence has the added benefit of building other’s confidence in you. When you feel confident in your own abilities that confidence will be see by others as well.

Tip’s For Building Confidence at Work

  1.       Talk about your goals and showcase your success.

If you want something talk about it. Make it real by telling others what your goals are. Don’t be afraid to say what you want. Telling someone what you want to get out of your career is vitally important to your success. Tell your boss, your spouse and your friends what you want to achieve. Whether it is a promotion, a sales goal, or more training. You can set yourself up and go after your goals by confidently expressing what they are. If you do not speak up about what you would like you may be passed over. By telling people in your workplace, like your boss, what you want you show that you are confident in your abilities and know you can whatever your goal may be.

  1.       Volunteer for special projects and assignments.

           A simple way to instill confidence in yourself is to get out of your comfort zone and try something new. Entrepreneur suggests that you could volunteer to be a part of special project or assignments at work.  You don’t have to be the leader. Being a part of something new will allow you to flex your confidence and improve your skills.  When you volunteer to do more at work you get the benefit of learning and practicing new skills. This can make your more confident in your own abilities. Additionally, your colleagues will see that you are a dependable person who can be counted on. They will feel confident that you are able and willing to get things done.

  1.       Say what you feel

Your voice matters and your opinions always count. Inc. suggests that it is important to speak your mind. Try to speak up when you have an opinion on issues that arise in your workplace. If you have a great idea say it!  Don’t let others silence your voice. Understand that you have great ideas and they are meant to be shared. Even if your idea isn’t chosen as a solution your unique perspective adds to the conversation. You will feel great knowing that you add to the collective knowledge of your workplace and others will benefit from your perspective. You know what you are good at. Make sure to let others know too.

  1.       Get More Training

Another way to build confidence at work is to obtain more training and developing your current skills. If you feel that your skills could use a boost, ask for help! More training benefits you and your employer. Becoming proficient at a skill you use daily will make you more confident in it . If you can learn more and become an expert.

  1.       Get Comfortable with Public Speaking

In the workplace you will be required to speak in front of others. Although you may not enjoy it, becoming comfortable with public speaking can do wonderful things for building your confidence at work. In a previous article we had talked about some great ways to boost confidence in public speaking. Some important things to remember about public speaking are that it takes practice and its ok to be nervous. By taking on new projects at work you may be able to practice this skill more. Try to remember that if you sound confident your colleagues will want to listen to you.

  1.       Act Confident

Although this suggestion may sound silly you should try to act confident even if you aren’t sure that you truly are. This all starts with believing in yourself and working on your self-confidence. Wear clothes that make you feel good, talk to the people around you and try out some of the tips suggested above. As with anything, confidence comes from repetition. It will be uncomfortable at first but the more you do it the more comfortable you become. The saying goes “fake it until you make it” is almost what you are going for. But remember, you aren’t faking it, you are working at it and your confidence in the workplace will increase over time.

Work with a Career Coach

If you feel that you are struggling with confidence at work you may want to consider working with a career coach. A career coach can help you to identify what is holding you back from feeling confident in the workplace. In addition to helping you with workplace issues a career coach can help you manage stress and a work life balance. The individual attention and guidance that a career coach can give you could be exactly what you need to build confidence at work.

Always remember that building confidence takes time and some hard work. The best way to develop more confidence is to know yourself and your skills. Do what you can to show others that you are an asset and keep working on developing yourself.