Improving career confidence

I thought we could delve into one of my favorite topics this week; work confidence. It's something I am really passionate about as I have first-hand experience with how a lack of confidence can affect us at work, and it's something that I see holding my clients back too.

Why Confidence Matters in the Workplace

Confidence is more than just a feeling. It is an internal strength that allows individuals to believe in their abilities, take risks, and tackle new opportunities. Here are some key reasons why confidence is crucial at work:

• Enhanced Performance: Confidence enables individuals to perform at their best by maximising their potential and delivering their expertise with conviction.
• Increased Resilience: In the face of challenges and setbacks, confident individuals are more likely to persevere, learn from their experiences, and bounce back stronger.
• Effective Communication: Confidence empowers clear and assertive communication, facilitating productive collaborations, and fostering healthy relationships with colleagues and clients.
• Leadership Development: Confidence is a fundamental trait of successful leaders, as it inspires trust, influences decision-making, and motivates teams to achieve shared goals.

The Changing Dynamics of Confidence over Our Careers

Confidence is not a fixed attribute; it evolves and fluctuates throughout our careers. As we encounter new experiences and face different situations, our confidence levels may rise and dip. Factors such as new job responsibilities, promotions, feedback, or even personal life events can impact our confidence. It is essential to recognise that these fluctuations are normal and can be managed.

For me, I found I was mostly confident at work until I developed anxiety after my second daughter was born. I went from being assured of my ability at work, to being slowed down by constant self-limiting beliefs (not a lot of fun!).

Increasing Awareness of Our Confidence Levels

Becoming more aware of our confidence levels is the first step toward building a stronger sense of self-assurance. Here are some strategies to cultivate self-awareness:

• Reflection and Self-Assessment: Take time to reflect on your achievements, strengths, and areas for growth. Self-assessment exercises can help you gain insight into your capabilities and areas where you may need to boost your confidence.
• Seeking Feedback: Actively seek feedback from trusted colleagues, mentors, or supervisors. Understanding how others perceive your abilities can provide valuable insights and help identify areas for improvement.

Reframing Self-Limiting Beliefs

Self-limiting beliefs can hold us back from reaching our full potential. Here's how to reframe them and develop a more confident mindset:

• Identify Limiting Beliefs: Pay attention to negative thoughts or beliefs that hinder your confidence. Challenge them by asking for evidence that supports or refutes these beliefs.
• Replace with Empowering Thoughts: Replace self-limiting beliefs with positive, realistic, and empowering thoughts. Focus on your strengths, past accomplishments, and remind yourself that growth and improvement are possible.

Harnessing the Power of CBT for Confidence-Building

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is a therapeutic approach that can help build confidence by addressing negative thoughts and behaviors. I completed a Diploma in CBT specifically because I wanted to learn more about how it can help improve our confidence (I have a great book tip on this below). Some techniques used in CBT include:

• Cognitive Restructuring: Recognise and challenge negative thought patterns, replacing them with more positive and realistic ones.
• Behavioral Activation: Engage in activities that align with your goals, even if they feel challenging at first. Gradually, these experiences can boost your confidence and reinforce positive beliefs about yourself.

Confidence Training for Teams

In addition to individual efforts, confidence-building can be nurtured within teams. I've created bespoke confidence-building workshops for a number of teams now and it's one of my favorite sessions. It can be quite powerful in groups, especially when it gives the team members the opportunity to reflect and discuss their own experiences. Knowing that we are not alone and even those colleagues who seem to 'have it all together' can sometimes feel imposter thoughts is powerful.

Some group-based strategies:

• Encouraging Psychological Safety: Create a safe and inclusive environment where team members feel comfortable expressing their ideas and opinions without fear of judgment or criticism.
• Strengths focus: Encouraging your team to discover their unique strengths and encourage them to use them to reach team goals.

I hope this helps with understanding and improving your confidence. If low confidence at work is something that is affecting you, then you might want to check out my new group programme:

Introducing the Group Confidence Coaching

I am thrilled to announce the launch of our Group Confidence Coaching Circle, a transformative program designed to enhance confidence, empower personal growth, and foster a sense of community with a small group of peers who are on a similar journey (6 max in the group, 4 places remaining for this cohort).

This monthly circle will provide a safe space for individuals to engage in powerful group discussions, share insights, and receive guidance in their confidence-building journey.

Find out more and join:

If you are ready to embark on a transformative journey toward greater confidence and personal empowerment, you can find more details here.

Feel free to drop me a DM and we can arrange a phone chat to see if it's the right program for you.

*Book recommendation: Melanie Fennell - Overcoming low self-esteem.