How can you use your network to build self-confidence?

Leveraging your network to build self-confidence through mentorship with ChatGPT can be highly effective: 1. Identify Potential Mentors: ChatGPT can assist in analyzing your LinkedIn network to identify potential mentors. It can suggest personalized messages to initiate contact. 2. Prepare for Mentor Meetings: Use ChatGPT to prepare for mentor meetings. It can help draft agendas or list questions to maximize the value of these interactions. 3. Reflect and Grow: Post-meeting, ChatGPT can aid in reflecting on the mentor’s advice. It can help you formulate action plans and set achievable goals, based on your discussions, thus fostering a structured approach to personal and professional development.

Finding mentors is a great way to help shape your career, but just remember you need to give to get. Don't just reach out to people and say what you want from them, you need to add value to them too.

Seeking mentors is key to building confidence. Mentors provide invaluable insight, reflecting your strengths and areas for improvement. This fosters self-awareness, crucial for confidence. They guide you in setting realistic goals, encourage risk-taking in a supportive environment, and help you learn from mistakes. Overcoming challenges under a mentor's guidance boosts self-belief. Additionally, mentors expand your professional network and expose you to new ideas and opportunities, enhancing your sense of achievement and self-assurance. Mentorship is thus a vital tool for developing confidence and success.

Assessment. Often times people outside of ourselves can identify skills or desired behaviors that we have that we ourselves may be blind to. It is a good idea to utilize your existing network to ask your areas of strength and your areas of growth. Annually, you should approach a handful of people that you know (family, friend coworkers) and ask them three questions. What are some things that you believe I do well? Where are some areas of growth you seeing me? How has our connection been of value to you (Ex. your life, your work, your project?

Someone who's been there and done that... can give you guidance and alerts for what's about to happen in the job, what to expect, and, where possible, how to avoid negative consequences. One key aspect of having a mentor is being able to ask for help on key stakeholder relationship management advice that will give you a sense of self-confidence. One strategic area in which a mentor can help in your career is how to handle politics, something that's not generally talked about but which is ever present. Mentoring is very different from Coaching, where coaches may not always have the industry perspective, but Mentors almost always have some background in the industry or role you are in. They have perspectives that you would benefit from.

Leveraging your network for self-confidence involves seeking advice from experienced individuals. Requesting guidance aids in problem-solving, skill acquisition, and informed decision-making, showcasing your curiosity and openness to learning. Use various communication means like email, phone, or video calls. Engage in online forums or industry communities to interact with professionals. When seeking advice, clearly outline your situation, goals, and specific questions. Actively listen, take notes, and express gratitude for their valuable insights, fostering a culture of continuous learning and professional growth.

Seeking frequent bits of advice from industry experts can really help you when you're climbing up the ladder. LinkedIn is the most preferred channel to seek advice from your industry experts. Send connection requests, ask them where you feel to be guided, and use their piece of advice in your career.

In addition to asking for advice, don't hesitate to ask for feedback... You can for example ask your network to give you 3 positive points/your strengths and 3 areas for improvement concerning you... and as we are on the theme of "reinforcing your self-confidence", I even recommend that you only ask for your 3 positive points/your strengths. And do this in all “strata” of your network (at least 20 people): from very close to moderately close! You will often be surprised to see all the qualities that overlap and which will allow you to highlight your strengths and thus strengthen your confidence => a real booster!

Using your network is key to opening doors of opportunities. As you find ways to add value to others, you can also reach out to your network for different things, such as seeking clarity, asking questions, seeking their thoughts, and sharing what you are looking for. If you do not share it, no one knows.

When you are stuck, if you can't figure out what to do you can ask for advice from specialists. On LinkedIn (and there are multiple platforms out there) everyone wants to help and support the people around them. You need to find the one that is resonating with you and have a short conversation. It is pretty straightforward.

After a layoff, many professionals experience the imposter syndrome or have low self confidence - especially if they are in their encore years. It can be tough to rebound. A candidate may even have a tough time coming up with something they achieved during their career. Typically, I will pivot and have them focus on a list of former colleagues/managers/directors that would either endorse their skills or write them a recommendation. Once they see what others have to say about them, it can jumpstart a more positive self image and get them unstuck boosting their confidence. Sometimes, it just takes a word of affirmation from someone else to get the wheels turning.

I coach many professionals who feel that they are imposters, hence sharing their achievements may be a stretch to begin with. What's important is to start acknowleding and accepting their own achievements and strengths. It also helps to hear genuine feedback from their own network and as a result, people often find that they are not as bad as they think they are. That is when self-confidence starts to grow.

ChatGPT can assist in sharing your achievements in three strategic ways: 1. Articulating Success Stories: ChatGPT can help you craft compelling narratives around your achievements. It can guide you in structuring your story to highlight challenges, actions, and results, making your accomplishments more impactful. 2. Enhancing Communication Skills: Use ChatGPT to refine your communication, ensuring your messages are clear, concise, and engaging. This is crucial for effective storytelling on platforms like LinkedIn. 3. Feedback and Improvement: Share your draft achievements with ChatGPT for feedback. It can suggest improvements or highlight strengths, helping you present your achievements in the best light.

To effectively share your achievements using ChatGPT: 1. Highlighting Key Accomplishments: Discuss your achievements with ChatGPT to identify the most impactful ones. It can help you articulate these accomplishments in a compelling way. 2. Tailoring Your Narrative: ChatGPT can assist in tailoring your achievement narrative to different audiences, ensuring relevance and engagement, whether it's for a job interview, a networking opportunity, or a social media post. 3. Constructing a Continuous Story: Use ChatGPT to weave your achievements into a coherent story that reflects your career journey and aspirations. This not only showcases your successes but also demonstrates your growth mindset and future potential.

There's a hidden double benefit to sharing your achievements via LinkedIn post - no matter how small they may be (that includes those LinkedIn short courses!). First obvious benefit: It shows your credibility, willing to learn, and expanding skillset. Continuous improvement makes for attractive hires! Second less obvious achievement: Remember all those people you've networked and chatted with (informational interviews)? They (probably) don't think about you all that often. So if a fancy new role at their org pops up that you're a great fit for - the bad news is they (probably) won't immediately think of you. BUT - if you're posting regularly on LinkedIn, and they stumble across said post? Guess who they're reminded of... You!

One of the main reasons why giving back is so important to help you build confidence is that it is a mirror that will give back to you! When you support or mentor someone using the knowledge or expertise that you have, you realise that you know and are capable of more than you think. Too often, we move past our own achievements quickly to chase the next goal or accolade. Or we fall pray to impostor syndrome and think that it's luck or some other external reason that we achieved what we did. By giving back, and seeing someone grow and gain confidence through what you give to them, you form a better perspective on who you truly are as a professional and what you actually have to offer. Best way to get a reality check and build confidence!

Giving back is a two way street. First, it helps you build others up probably through volunteering, sponsoring, training and so forth. On the other hand, it helps you get better without serious pressures. You develop and hone valuable skills through giving back which involves grooming your confidence in relevant areas where it is needed.

Giving back is on of the best ways to improve your self confidence. It helps you organize your thoughts, review your achievements. Sharing your knowledge and experience is great for keeping tracks of your successes.

Utilizing ChatGPT to enhance self-confidence through networking involves: 1. Skill Enhancement: Use ChatGPT to learn or refine skills relevant to your field. Demonstrating these skills in your network can boost your confidence. 2. Communication Practice: Practice networking conversations with ChatGPT. This prepares you for real interactions, increasing your comfort and confidence in professional settings. 3. Networking Strategies: ChatGPT can suggest innovative networking strategies, helping you approach your connections in ways that are both helpful and confidence-boosting.

Here’s how ChatGPT can assist: 1. Mentoring and Advice: Offer to mentor or give advice to others in your network. ChatGPT can help draft insightful responses or provide resources that you can share, enriching the learning experience for your mentees. 2. Content Creation for Community: Use ChatGPT to create valuable content such as articles, tips, or industry insights to share with your network. This not only positions you as a thought leader but also contributes to the collective knowledge of your community. 3. Networking Introductions: Facilitate connections within your network. ChatGPT can assist in crafting personalized introduction messages, fostering new connections and opportunities within your professional circle.

Having similar-minded people with similar career goals is encouraging especially If your friends and family don't understand what you do at work. Having people who understand you and clap for you when you achieve big things will help you build self-confidence to achieve even greater things.

Does networking or connecting build self-confidence? This question is a very important point. For people, networking provides effective and efficient feedback as long as they are able to develop areas of interaction with people, create points of contact and connect. Therefore, self-confidence will improve with a focus on communication, effort and the benefits of networking. When issues such as the feedback of the established networks, the opportunities they provide, and the expansion of the social sphere of influence come to the fore, the change in people's self-confidence will be reflected in their behavior.

Don't take rejections (or people ignoring your connection requests) personally - you shouldn't expect a perfect batting average, and most people are nice (and don't bite!). The folks you want to speak with have empathy and understand what it's like to be a job-seeker - so they're more inclined to share their time with you.

When I’m working with my clients, we start with an inventory of where they are currently and what they already know. Step 2 is focusing on how they are perceived, by themselves (mindset) and others (becoming aware of their personal brand and asking for feedback). I have a powerful set of questions to ask that gives people extremely valuable feedback - even and especially from people they know well and may even talk to every day. It’s one of the best ways to not only learn about how you are perceived, but also give a huge bump in self confidence. It’s part of The Career Happiness Project so you can even do it yourself (book and workbook available on Amazon).

Reach out to mentors and seasoned professionals who can share their journey and insights. Seek feedback and embrace constructive criticism; it's a powerful tool for growth. Engage with peers, exchange experiences, and recognize that confidence often grows through shared connections. Don't just collect contacts; nurture relationships that inspire and empower. Your network can become a mirror reflecting the strengths and capabilities you might overlook in yourself, fostering a robust foundation of self-assurance.