For some of my recent clients, confidence has been an issue. Often these talented humans excel at work, and still remain unsure of their abilities and potential.

Having confidence at work does not mean being arrogant or harsh. Confidence means that you are able to contribute fully to the challenges and opportunities your organization is facing. We need all hands on deck, now more than ever, contributing the fullness of each person’s capabilities.

So how do you overcome issues of confidence. I love the advice given by Ann Howell’s How to Build Confidence at Work article on HBR. She stresses the importance of self-awareness and consciously working on confidence behaviors. Some of those behaviors include starting small (with easier-to-do actions) and deliberate practice (starting in lower-risk situations). A recent client was struggling to speak in public, like at all-hands meetings at her workplace. She started by practicing on her own, then with her immediate team, and worked up to the big event at a larger meeting. (She did great and is continuiing to grow and learn.)

Building confidence requires patience with yourself. At first, the behaviors like speaking up in meetings will feel odd and unnatural. Over time, you and those around you will learn that this is the real you that you’ve simply allowed to come out and play.

Need more help building confidence? Reach out at info@humanergy.com or (269) 789-0446. You’ve got this!

Photo by sydney Rae on Unsplash