How can women feel more confident at work?

Confidence does not come easily for everyone. Many women face challenges that make feeling self-confident even harder. Why is that? Career coaches and consultants note a power gap many professional women experience today. Imposter syndrome can occur, with some career-driven women feeling unworthy of their positions and likely to be passed over for advancement. Of course, great change must happen in workplaces and society for these feelings to pass. That said, women can empower themselves and make great strides toward feeling more confident at work.

Every victory helps and is certainly worth pursuing. Here are some suggestions to help women feel more self-assured in the workplace.

Feeling more confident at work: Take on a speaking role

Public speaking can drum up many nerves, even if you have done so a thousand times. It can be a time when self-doubt is most prominent than ever within oneself.

Still, there are many ways to overcome a fear of public speaking, and once done, the level of enrichment experienced can be unlike anything else. Being an authority on a subject is impressive, even if the topic is not overly elaborate.

There are many opportunities to take on a speaking role in the workplace. Leading topical meetings, helping new hires get familiar with the business, and even announcing staff social plans can help workers feel seen, appreciated, and valued.

It does not necessarily require giving a mesmerizing speech, either. Simply a few choice words that hold a crowd for a moment and serve everyone’s benefit is great.

Many nervous public speakers fake it until they make it. Such a tactic can crossover with attempting to feel confident. Enunciating words, straightening posture, and appearing comfortable in one’s skin can help the speaker feel confident.

Enroll in a women’s leadership course

Opportunities can feel few and far between for some women in the workplace. Therefore, they may need to expand their horizons by looking beyond their job’s confines and facilitating their career advancement elsewhere.

Something like a women’s leadership course could help in this effort. The length of these courses can be six weeks (excluding orientation week) and only demands a time commitment of 6-8 hours per week. Therefore, these opportunities are easy to schedule alongside other pressing personal and professional commitments, always giving women a way to improve their existing skills and learn new ones.

A finer sense of achievement can be felt when you do something for yourself. It can be a personal endeavor, a chance for women to realize their potential and better understand their value to their workplace.

It can also give them additional respectable credentials for career advancement. Moreover, connect with like-minded, career-driven women to establish contacts and expand your network.

Explore mentorship programs for more work confidence

Mentorship is where many professionals on both sides of the arrangement find their footing in their careers. Its purpose is to build people up and be their best selves throughout their careers.

There is a lot to learn in a mentorship program, irrespective of gender identity. However, a strong and memorable working relationship could develop if a career-driven woman is paired with an experienced soul who has encountered similar trials and tribulations. Crucial guidance that changes their career trajectory completely could be provided, spurring them on with encouragement and uplifting them.

Women do not always need to be the mentees, either. By organizing a program or becoming the mentor figure, they can impart their guidance and ensure their knowledge and wisdom can be passed on to the next wave of talent. Having such an influence can be a rewarding prospect and help career-driven women reflect and understand how far they have come on their own journey.

It is also worth noting that many women are given advice they do not ask for nor desire in the workplace. They can be talked down to and patronized. Having a mentor can show who to listen to and who to ignore.

Using ‘no’ as an answer

Many employees need to be compliant with the demands of their superiors. However, depending on who the boss is, there may be some requests that are unreasonable or disrespectful.

Much empowerment can be felt using the word “no” where appropriate. There are circumstances where the word is essential for workers, such as when too much voluntary work risks overcrowding their schedule. Refusing certain requests can help employees reaffirm their value and prioritize matters of true importance, clearing their heads and potentially improving their performance.

No is a valid and complete answer to many requests. Not all work is essential, and not all tasks are detrimental to one’s role or the functioning of the business. Making that distinction is key. One shouldn’t feel confident about phony aspects of a job and work toward either undoing them or turning their attention elsewhere.

Women can feel more confident in the workplace by actively pursuing better prospects and recognizing their inherent value.