Confidence is a subtle feeling, which can often disappear when attention is focused on you. However, when you’ve got confidence, you feel as though you can achieve anything. It is easy to envy confident people, as they appear to be relaxed, open, secure and successful. Confidence is not something that you are born with, but you can learn how to become a more confident person.
Definitions
confident [adjective] self-assured and certain of having the ability, judgement and resources needed to succeed
Why is confidence so important?
Your personal effectiveness depends largely on how confident you are and how well you can assert yourself. People who are shy or retiring may find that others often take advantage of them. On the other hand, people who are pushy and aggressive risk alienating themselves as others prefer to keep a distance from them. Your confidence can have a major impact on your personal, social and working life. When you know how to develop and use it properly, you will find that people change their behaviour, attitudes, and outlook to reflect your positive attitude. Confidence can also help you to communicate more effectively in your written communications, face-to-face situations, or when addressing large audiences.
Confidence in action
A confident person is ...
assertive and positive
inspirational - someone who leads by example and motivates colleagues
an effective communicator, who can judge which types of communication are best suited to a particular situation and use them accordingly
free from doubt about their own strengths and weaknesses - they have complete faith in their own abilities
honest and forthright - happy to speak up when they disagree with anything or anyone
A person with little impact ... is timid, apathetic and lacks passion or enthusiasm. They are poor communicators who fail to make the best use of communication channels. A person who lacks confidence tends to be insecure and unsure about their strengths. They are pessimistic, scared of expressing an opinion and constantly seek approval.
Developing confidence
The key to becoming more confident and more influential is to want to change in the first place. The first step is to realise that developing your confidence skills will take time and effort, but with practise it will soon become second nature. The following tips aim to provide some initial guidance on how to gain confidence and make a really positive impact:
Recognise and focus on your abilities, strengths and talents – not your weaknesses.
Try something new which will help you make the first step. Even if it’s something as simple as starting a conversation with someone you don’t know very well.
Think about how you look, the way you speak and the impression you make with your body language. Be aware of any nervous habits you have such as fidgeting, saying ‘um’ a lot or avoiding eye contact.
Prepare yourself properly for occasions when you feel you may lack confidence. Make sure you are clear about your aims and objectives at meetings. Get your facts straight so that you can challenge people who might use their assertiveness to undermine others.
Be positive and consider how your attitude impacts on those you work with. The people who make the best impressions are professional in the way they do things. They set a good example to others and can be highly inspirational and motivating.
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