Five Easy Things You Can Do to Feel and Appear More Confident
Do you struggle with your confidence? Do you feel like an imposter? Do you wonder if the people around you think you don’t know what you’re talking about? Relax. I’ve got you. We all feel this way from time to time, particularly when we are in stressful situations, such as giving a presentation to a large group or expressing an unpopular opinion. Here are five easy tips to help you feel more confident and improve others’ perceptions of you.
Nix the reductive language. Reductive language minimizes your meaning. Eliminate the use of words and phrases such as “just,” “sorry,” “I’m not an expert, but,” “I would love.” These words and phrases convey a lack of confidence and esteem in what you’re saying. If you want to appear credible, be straightforward. So, instead of “Hi, I’m just checking on that file you were supposed to send,” try, “Can you please give me an ETA on the file I asked for?”
Dress the part. In this work-from-home era, it can be incredibly tempting and very easy to show up for work dressed down. Way down. However, if you want to exude confidence, you need to present a physical appearance that conveys that. Take a look at your peers and colleagues and see how they dress. Then step it up at least two notches.
Over-prepare. Big meeting coming up? Devote time to preparing. And by “preparing,” I mean more than working on your slides; I mean understanding the three key things that will be discussed. Do you need to understand the size and breakout of the addressable market? Are you going to be asked questions about last quarter’s financial performance? While you obviously cannot anticipate every question you may be asked, being over-prepared will cut down on your stress and reduce the chance of you being caught off guard.
When you don’t know the answer, own it. We’ve all been put on the spot and asked a question to which we don’t know the answer. Rather than shuffle or make excuses for not knowing, own up to it and follow up. “I don’t have the answer to that. I will research it and get back to you.” Then follow through.
Fake it when you have to. Yes, sometimes you need to put on a performance. I’m sure you have a coworker who always seems to have her act together. I’m also sure that she doesn’t always have it together. She is just good at making other people believe that she’s on top of everything. A bit of faking can go a long way to improving your confidence.
Most importantly, you need to recognize the strengths you bring to the table. Once you understand what you do well, you can apply that to areas where you might be struggling a little or looking to build up experience or competence. The bottom line? Know what you do well, and work on doing that better.