Your confidence level determines your success personally and professionally.

The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines self-confidence as ‘confidence in oneself and in one’s powers and abilities’. Confidence helps you to be, do and have more. Everyone is more attracted to confident people as they are happier, able to connect easily with others, and achieve higher levels of success.

“Happiness and confidence are the prettiest things you can wear.” – Taylor Swift

Here are 3 Steps to becoming more confident at work:

1. Have an opinion

Those with an opinion are more highly regarded than those whom stay quiet at work or sit on the fence. People want to hear what you have to say so be prepared to offer your opinion. Expression of oneself demonstrates your value within an organisation as opinions generate ideas, discussion and help formulate plans.

Fierce Conversations and Quantum Workplace conducted research with over 1,300 employees. The findings indicated that less than half of employees – 47.5% don’t regularly speak their minds at work. With 52% of employees unable to speak their mind with their managers.

2. Wear colour

Research from Princeton University suggests that when we see a new face, our brains decide if a person is attractive and trustworthy within a tenth of a second. Our wardrobe is an expression of our personality and confident people enjoy wearing colour. The colours you choose to wear influence people’s view of you and can influence business outcomes.

As Toi Sweeney, award-winning stylist, brand image strategist, and successful entrepreneur explains: “What you’re wearing affects your mood and builds your confidence. It’s worth it to always dress a little better than those around you”.

3. Take up space

Amy Cuddy, a Harvard psychologist famous for her TED Talk on the link between body language and feelings of confidence and success. Cuddy found that high-power poses also referred to as expansive postures increased one’s feelings of confidence and power.

Males tend to adopt high-power poses more frequently than women. Examples include: sitting up straight in a chair with arms on the armrests, sitting back in your chair with shoulders relaxed, walking briskly, taking up more space in a meeting or when presenting i.e spread out your resources across the table, drinks, or iPad, etc, and placing your hands on your hip.

Use these 3 practical tips to increase your confidence at work and leave a comment as to how this helped your confidence to grow.

 

Taylor Swift photo courtesy of Forbes