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Written by: James Ponds
As a woman in the world of business, you have likely experienced how much confidence plays a role in your work life. Having and showing your confidence in your work can help you achieve large goals, make useful connections and achieve promotions you never thought were possible. However, the pitfalls of being a woman in a historically male-dominated field can make keeping your confidence levels high a little tricky. So, in order to ensure that you have all of the tools in your repertoire to succeed at your job, here are five tips on how to boost your confidence level and become to confident business woman you always knew that you could be!
1. Hone Your Skills
This may seem like an obvious piece of advice, but it certainly never hurts to sharpen all of the tools in your business arsenal. Business is a highly competitive area to be in so you want to make sure you have the skills to back up your confidence. In fact, knowing that you have and continue to hone things like your sales skills, public speaking skills and negotiation skills will help boost your confidence levels. Having the abilities to do certain things well and knowing that you can will lend itself to your professional and personal growth as a woman in business.
2. Build Your Knowledge
Skills are important, but so is knowledge. It never hurts to find extra classes or seminars to attend concerning your specialty in business. Adding whatever you can to your breadth of information about your line of work or any other is always going to be helpful in your quest to build confidence. The next time someone questions your authority in your role at work, you can respond with the calm confidence of knowing that you know an awful lot. It is true what they say; having knowledge is having power
3. Try New Things
Getting stuck in a personal rut is always considered a bad thing, but hardly anyone talks about how equally bad it is to find yourself stuck in a professional rut. This usually happens due to a lack of confidence in an individual who finds herself afraid of taking the leap and trying to apply for a different job, go after a promotion or even start a whole new business on her own. Do not stay in a certain role because you feel scared to move. Move anyways and be your number one cheerleader! If you are this person and feel afraid to make a big leap, try doing some simple new things and building your confidence that way before doing something huge. For example, try a new, weird food next time you eat out, or sign up to go skydiving and see what crazy good things can come when you step out of your comfort zone.
4. Exercise Your Body
According to scientific research, physical exercise can actually increase your self confidence. You don't have to be a professional athlete just to go for a run a few times a week or get into weight lifting at a local gym. Having a regular exercise routine a few times a week will do wonders to your self image and in turn, your confidence at work. Find what you enjoy and bring on the endorphins, fitness and confidence.
5. Find a Mentor
It is common for men to find and work with a mentor at their place of business and eventually supersede that mentor when the time comes. This is becoming more of a regularity for women too now. Having someone who has been through what you are going through can help boost your confidence at work. A positive female influence and role model is a great thing to seek out and cherish.
Maintaining and building confidence is a process that is integral to your business life as a woman. It is easy to feel downtrodden by rejections and other negatives, which makes holding your head high and knowing that you are a force to be reckoned with all the more important. Keep these tips in mind whenever you start doubting yourself and remember to forge ahead into carving out your place in your field of work.
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