How to Shift from Hesitation to Contribution - Even When Confidence is Low

Forty percent of people don't feel confident sharing their ideas at work and only 1% feel extremely confident speaking up in crucial moments.

While remaining silent has a major impact on productivity and innovation, it also puts the reigns on career advancement.

Speaking time predicts leadership emergence.

This has particular relevance when looking at an industry such as the food sector, where women make up 49% of employees at entry level and only 23% at C-suite level.

Hearing more female voices across all levels is one way to work toward gender parity in leadership, creating a better future for organisations and their teams.

Speaking with Confidence Can Be Hard

At an individual level, hesitation to speak costs you in new opportunities, income and influence.

However feeling comfortable holding the floor can be challenging - even if the workplace is psychologically safe.

This can particularly be so if you:

• Fall more on the side of introversion on the introvert-extrovert scale.
• Were brought up in a culture where being quiet and fitting in was valued and rewarded.
• Risk being wrong, are looking to express emotions or wanting to challenge the ways things are done.

The key to shifting from hesitation to contribution is to start small. Just like changing any habit, setting yourself up for success is critical for the behaviour to stick.

Look for achievable practises that when implemented over time, build evidence your voice matters.

How to Shift from Hesitation to Contribution

Here are 3 ideas to get started:

1. Contribute regularly in small ways. Be the first to say hello when you walk into a room, place a comment in the chat box in online meetings, or try asking questions. Questions can feel less threatening than voicing opinions.
2. Prepare ahead of time. Come into meetings and conversations with one key message, idea or opinion you'd like to contribute. Speaking up on the spot can be easier when you're feeling more certain.
3. Shift your body language. Sit upright, lean in and use the hand steeple pose to enhance your feelings of personal power. Research by author and social psychologist Dr Amy Cuddy shows your body can lead your mind and that 'power posing' helps create clarity, in turn building the confidence to speak.

For a fun skit on how hesitation plays out at work, see the video I posted last week here.

I'd love to hear in the comments any experiences you've had on how to shift from hesitation to contribution at work, remembering, Your Voice Matters!

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Sharon Natoli helps women in the food sector speak with confidence and advance their leadership. For training, coaching and speaking, get in touch [email protected] or www.sharonnatoli.com/contact