How to be confident at work
In this article, you will discover tips on how to be confident at work.
I will offer you effective tips on how to get your confidence back and thrive at work.
Before we get to the tips, I’d like to remind you that you can benefit from the expertise of a confidence coach to help you reach your goals faster.
Now let’s get right to the tips for feeling more comfortable at work.
1 – Be kind to yourself
Having empathy for yourself is essential to building self-love which is an important component of self-esteem.
You don’t have to be perfect to feel comfortable in your current job or in a new job.
A recent study by Yao (2023) called “The Relationship between Self-esteem, Self-compassion, and Subjective Well-being” explored how self-kindness and self-esteem interact to influence our subjective well-being.
The researcher found that self-compassion plays a crucial role in modulating the relationship between self-esteem and well-being.
In other words, being kind to ourselves could not only improve our general well-being but also boost our self-esteem.
This discovery underlines the importance of being kind to oneself, particularly in the professional context, where self-confidence is essential for success and fulfillment.
Learning to appreciate yourself takes practice but it is something that is up to you.
So the next time you encounter a difficulty at work don’t criticize yourself and instead be nice to yourself.
This way, you’ll get past the negative habit of measuring your worth by the results you get.
Be self-compassionate and learn to appreciate yourself unconditionally.
2 – Don’t give too much importance to the criticism of others
Whether it’s your manager or a colleague, it’s not uncommon to be criticized at work.
According to an in-depth study by Sicora (2021), called “Shame, Mistakes and Reflective Practice in Social Work”, the experience of error is deeply emotional.
It is not limited to the simple recognition of a deviation from reality or an internal change in an individual’s beliefs and actions.
It’s also the condition of being stuck in this error with no immediate way out.
This situation is particularly unpleasant when accompanied by the realization of the damage done, and when internal or external voices criticize not only the erroneous action but the person as a whole.
The shift from “I made a mistake” to “I am a mistake” or “I am a failure as a professional or even as a person” is common, and shame can be the resulting emotion.
Although criticism can offer constructive opportunities to learn from mistakes, it is often perceived as an attack on self-confidence, leading to defensive reactions rather than genuine reflection.
In such circumstances, learning from mistakes becomes almost impossible.
It is important to realize that most people are not aware of their behavior.
Most of the time people criticize others simply out of habit because it is much easier to blame others than to take the time to notice what they do well.
It is important to remember that managers are rarely trained in management and they do not always know how to work effectively in a team.
If you can’t handle criticism from your work environment, you have the choice of leaving your company or learning to become more assertive.
3 – Be more assertive
If someone hurts your feelings, point out that their behavior is outside the boundaries of what is acceptable to you.
Learning to be assertive, that is, to express your point of view openly and completely, in a calm and determined manner, is essential to your success at work and to build self-esteem.
In some cases, you feel hurt because deep down you believe that the criticism of others is partly justified.
Unconsciously you give others the power to define your value.
This can negatively affect your self-esteem and self-confidence.
In order to protect and strengthen your self-esteem, you need to learn to evaluate yourself objectively and make your self-esteem depend entirely on yourself.
To go further on the topic of assertiveness, I recommend you read my article on how to become more assertive and be respected at work and in your private life.
4 – Focus on what you already do well
As part of our efforts to boost self-confidence at work, it’s essential to understand the impact of our self-perception on our self-esteem.
A study by Ickes, Wicklund & Ferris (1973), published in the Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, explores the relationship between objective self-awareness and self-esteem.
Objective self-consciousness refers to how we perceive ourselves as an object of attention.
The study reveals that when we are in a state of objective self-awareness, we tend to be more self-critical.
This excessive self-criticism can negatively influence our self-esteem, especially if we focus on our failures or inadequacies.
This is where the fourth tip in this article comes in: focus on what you do well at work.
A very effective way to build self-esteem and self-confidence is to focus on the positive results you have already achieved in your work.
If your professional environment is focused on what is not working, you may decide to focus on your accomplishments, your innate abilities, and the progress you are making day by day.
Again, people around you tend to be driven by routines that control their decisions and actions.
If you become aware of your unproductive behavioral habits, you can put in place new habits that are more productive and able to build both self-esteem and self-confidence.
5 – Start from your professional mission
What is your role within the company and what needs must you meet in order to evolve positively within your company?
Answering these questions is essential to remind you of the skills you already possess and that have allowed you to successfully carry out your work assignment until now.
If your position or field has evolved and you need to update your skills or acquire new ones, don’t procrastinate.
Take action and start developing your skills without waiting for your company to do it for you.
You are responsible for your position and the skills you acquire will stay with you throughout your career.
Invest in yourself, be proactive and start closing that gap now!
If you have a tendency to procrastinate, I suggest you read my article 10 Outstanding Tips to Stop Procrastinating.
6 – Identify your blocks
You can be your worst enemy or your greatest ally, it all depends on how you use your mind.
Your difficulties at work may depend on your beliefs.
Some beliefs are positive and help you move forward, but others are not.
The good news is that not only can you act on your negative beliefs, but you can also invent any kind of positive belief.
If you are having trouble dealing with your negative beliefs, I encourage you to read my article on overcoming limiting beliefs.
The way you communicate with yourself can also impact your confidence at work.
As with your beliefs, your internal dialogue can be positive or negative.
When it is positive, you feel pleasant emotions, you feel motivated and you take actions consistent with your professional goals.
On the contrary, when your inner dialogue is negative, you feel unpleasant emotions, you quickly lose your motivation, you feel powerless in front of professional challenges, you doubt yourself, you procrastinate and you have big difficulties at work.
If you want to go deeper into the topic of internal dialogue, I recommend you read the article Overcoming negative internal dialogue and enjoy the benefits of positive internal dialogue.
7 – Learn to reward yourself more often for your efforts
Don’t wait for others to recognize your professional value because it won’t happen very often.
Associating a reward to the achievement of your tasks and goals is important not only to strengthen your motivation but also to develop self-esteem and self-confidence.
Every time you act in a way that is consistent with your values when trying to achieve your goals, you build self-esteem and self-confidence.
It’s the same when you achieve your goals.
The problem is that sometimes reaching goals takes time and if you wait too long to compliment yourself you risk impairing your self-confidence, self-esteem, and motivation.
That’s why I recommend you start rewarding yourself at different stages of your goal and not just once you’ve reached it.
Be proactive and write a list of your future rewards.
8 – Set goals for yourself
According to an in-depth study by Chatterjee & Samanta (2023), called “The Dynamic Aspects of the Principles of Self-motivated Change: The Power of Confidence”, goal-setting is not only a means of organizing and prioritizing one’s actions, but also plays an essential role in boosting self-confidence.
The authors highlight how the simple act of defining clear, measurable goals can instill a sense of accomplishment and mastery.
By actively working towards these goals, individuals can feel a sense of steady progress, which fuels their confidence in their abilities.
This increased confidence, in turn, can lead to renewed motivation, creating a virtuous circle of motivation and achievement.
You can’t just have a goal of being more confident at work.
It’s essential to define what the ideal situation is that you’re trying to achieve inside your company.
How would you like to feel most of the time at work?
How would you prefer to communicate with your manager, colleagues, and clients?
What impression would you like to give to others?
If you don’t know how to set goals, I suggest you read my article on how to set goals, achieve them and be truly happy.
9 – Overcome perfectionism
You cannot progress if you do not learn to embrace imperfection in your professional life.
Doing this is essential to overcome negative perfectionism, which has two major negative consequences:
- increased stress
- procrastination
Instead of striving for perfection, focus on improvement, which is a more realistic goal that you can control.
This will allow you to feel more comfortable in your work and improve your self-confidence and self-esteem.
If you are an over-perfectionist and have difficulty dealing well with imperfection, I suggest you read my article on how to stop being a perfectionist at work and in your personal life.
10 – Stop comparing yourself to others
Each person is unique, you can’t be confident at work if you use others to define your value as a professional.
You are a unique being and the only person you should compare yourself to is yourself.
Think again about the progress you have made in the last year or three or five years.
This is a very simple, yet very effective exercise that will help you become aware of your professional growth.
This is another much healthier way to use comparison to build self-esteem and confidence.
11 – Get over the impostor syndrome
If you have difficulty feeling legitimate in your current job or when taking a new position and that despite your results you have difficulty attributing your successes to yourself and that you just think that you just got lucky and that sooner or later you will be found out, then you are probably a victim of the impostor syndrome.
To overcome this syndrome you need to start evaluating yourself objectively and avoid jumping to negative conclusions.
If you want to learn more about this topic, I suggest you read my article on how to overcome impostor syndrome.
12 – Eliminate your negative habits
We all have negative habits that prevent us from evolving professionally and personally.
If, for example, you have developed the bad habit of not getting enough sleep, you will feel less confident at work.
So make a list of all your worst habits and look for at least one solution that will help you improve.
Schedule your actions in your to-do list and execute them regularly until you get rid of these negative routines.
To go further on this subject, I recommend you to read my article on how to change your behavior.
13 – Use gratitude
You can develop greater self-confidence by starting to feel gratitude for all the positive elements of your current job.
By expressing gratitude for the positive aspects of your professional life, you’ll be able to focus on what’s working well rather than on the difficulties and challenges.
Developing this new habit will help you feel more optimistic and confident in your ability to cope with professional challenges.
Gratitude will also help you improve relationships with your colleagues and team, and make you feel more connected and supported in your work.
Finally, experiencing gratitude is also a great way to reduce stress and improve your well-being at work.
14 – Be authentic
Authenticity is a key concept for understanding and developing self-confidence, especially in the context of work. Kane (2018) summarizes the steps to achieve this:
Self-awareness
Authenticity begins with self-awareness. This means understanding one’s own motivations, feelings, desires, and thoughts. It’s a process of introspection that requires honesty with yourself. For example, you might ask yourself: “Why do I do what I do? What really motivates me? How do I feel about my work? What are my true desires and aspirations?”
Values, preferences, and needs
Once you have a clear understanding of yourself, the next step is to act in accordance with your values, preferences, and needs. This means making choices and decisions that reflect what you believe to be right and important, what you prefer, and what you need for your well-being and fulfillment. For example, if you value integrity, you might strive to be honest and transparent in all your interactions at work.
Authenticity in action
Authenticity isn’t just about self-awareness and alignment with your values. It also manifests itself in the way you act and interact with others. Being authentic means being true to yourself, without pretension or pretense. It can involve showing vulnerability, expressing feelings and opinions openly and honestly, and staying true to yourself even in difficult situations or under pressure.
In short, authenticity is an essential element of self-confidence. By being authentic, you can boost your self-confidence, because you know you’re being true to yourself and acting in accordance with your values and convictions.
15 – Understand that self-confidence is variable
In line with the work of Kane (2018), self-confidence is constantly changing. This author proposes a dynamic approach to self-confidence that recognizes that self-confidence is not a fixed state, but rather a constantly evolving process.
A constantly evolving process
Self-confidence is not something we acquire once and for all. It fluctuates according to our experiences, our successes and failures, our interactions with others, and our perception of ourselves. For example, success at work can increase our self-confidence, while failure or criticism can reduce it.
Managing the dynamics of loss of confidence
It’s normal to go through periods of self-doubt or loss of confidence. The important thing is to know how to manage these moments. This may involve understanding what triggered the loss of confidence, acknowledging and accepting your feelings, and looking for ways to bounce back. For example, if you’ve made a mistake at work that has shaken your confidence, you could look to learn from that mistake and develop strategies to avoid repeating it in the future.
Building confidence
Similarly, it’s important to know how to build and strengthen your self-confidence. This can involve setting achievable goals and celebrating your successes, seeking constructive feedback, focusing on your strengths and skills, and practicing self-compassion and positive thinking. For example, you could get into the habit of writing down your successes at the end of each working day, or repeat positive affirmations to yourself to boost your self-confidence.
In short, the dynamic approach to self-confidence recognizes that self-confidence is a constantly evolving process that requires active, ongoing management. By understanding and managing the dynamics of losing and building confidence, you can strengthen your self-confidence in a sustainable way.
16 – Adopt the right mindset
According to Kane (2018) mindset, or the way we perceive our abilities and potential, plays a crucial role in self-confidence. In particular, adopting a growth mindset can help boost self-confidence.
Growth mindset
A growth mindset is the belief that our abilities can be developed and improved through effort, learning and perseverance. This contrasts with a fixed mindset, which is the belief that our abilities are innate and unchanging. By adopting a growth mindset, we recognize that we have the potential to improve and develop, which can boost our confidence in our ability to meet new challenges and overcome obstacles.
Valuing learning and personal development
With a growth mindset, learning and personal development are valued. Mistakes and failures are seen not as evidence of incompetence, but as opportunities for learning and growth. For example, if you fail at a task at work, instead of doubting your abilities, you might seek to understand what went wrong and how you can improve in the future.
Boosting self-confidence
Adopting a growth mindset can help boost self-confidence. By believing in our ability to learn and grow, we can feel more confident in our ability to take on new challenges and overcome obstacles. What’s more, by valuing learning and personal development, we can strengthen our confidence in our ability to improve and develop.
In short, mindset plays a crucial role in self-confidence. By adopting a growth mindset that values learning and personal development, we can strengthen our self-confidence and our ability to succeed.
17 – Take into account how you feel
Kane (2018) proposes an embodied methodology, i.e. an approach that recognizes the importance of bodily experience in our understanding and management of self-confidence.
Bodily experience: Our body is not just a vehicle for our mind; it is an integral part of our lived experience. Our bodily experiences – such as physical sensations, physiological reactions, and even our posture and movements – can influence our self-confidence. For example, an upright, open posture can help us feel more confident, while a closed, hunched posture can make us feel less confident.
Paying attention to physiological experiences: Paying attention to our physiological experiences means being aware of what’s going on in our bodies. This can involve noticing how our body reacts in different situations, such as the sensation of our heart beating faster when we’re nervous, or the feeling of relaxation in our body when we’re feeling confident.
Cognitive and emotional aspects: As well as paying attention to our physiological experiences, it’s also important to consider the cognitive and emotional aspects of self-confidence. This means being aware of our thoughts and feelings, and how they interact with our bodily experience. For example, if we have negative thoughts about ourselves, this can make us feel uncomfortable in our bodies, which in turn can diminish our self-confidence.
In short, Embodied Methodology proposes a holistic approach to self-confidence, taking into account bodily experience as well as cognitive and emotional aspects. By paying attention to these different aspects, we can develop a deeper, more nuanced understanding of our self-confidence, and find more effective ways to manage and strengthen it.
What are the best personal development books?
There are many books that can help you go further in the field of personal development, but choosing the ones best suited to your needs is not easy and requires time. To make your search easier, I’ve put together a guide to the best books on personal development.
Conclusion
In this article, I suggested some tips that you can start implementing right away in order to understand how to be confident in your work and thrive in your professional life. To take advantage of the support of a self-confidence coach, write to us now using our contact form, or call us by phone or on WhatsApp at +33 6 69 46 03 79.
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Français : Comment avoir confiance en soi au travail
Italiano: Come essere sicuri di se stessi sul lavoro: 17 consigli davvero efficaci