Editorial TeamConfidence can be a tricky thing for many to acquire and maintain, especially in the workplace. Having confidence in yourself and in the work you do is a valuable and sought-after trait in the workplace. Why? Those who are secure in themselves are less likely to worry about being passed over for a promotion and are more likely to seek out new experiences. Here are some tips on how to appear more confident as a working mom.
How to Appear More Confident as a Working Mom: Know Your Audience… and Make It All About Them
You’ve heard the Golden Rule of treating people like you want to be treated? Well, don’t. Instead, treat people how they want to be treated. Take an extra minute with a co-worker to learn what makes them tick. People say they don’t like “small talk.” So don’t make it small!
Talk about a podcast you just started listening to, if they can recommend a good playlist for working out, or what shows they’re binge-watching. Take time at the start of a video call to do it, too—rather than just “getting down to business” (and then wondering why you feel depleted). You will feel and appear more confident and create a connection.
Use questions to show curiosity about other people, which also comes across as confident. Become stealthy in asking the right questions at the right time, in the right way. Use questions to keep the other person talking, which gets you more information, and buys you time to organize your thoughts.
When you think about your decisions and words before acting, it helps you remain calm and collected in any situation. Taking the time to think through a response to a question or objection before responding is also an effective way to show confidence.
- What do you mean by that?
- How would that work?
- Interesting! Can you give some examples?
- Practice “magic” questions like What would happen if . . .?
People will think you’re engaging and confident if you show genuine curiosity about them and listen deeply. And here’s the most stealth of confidence tools: silence. Seriously, get comfortable with 20 seconds of silence. As you start counting backward from 20 in your head, you won’t get past 12 before the other person fills the silence with more words.
If you’re wondering how to appear more confident as a working mom, make conversation with your co-workers. Even just a little bit of small talk can go a long way. Of course, you need to tend to your responsibilities and meet your deadlines, but when you are also willing to open up to those around you, and this will allow you to exude confidence not only in your work but in yourself.
How to Appear More Confident as a Working Mom: Use The Power of Body Language
Mirroring taps into the power of mirror neurons (groupings of brain cells that are active when we execute an action and when we observe another person performing the same activity). These neurons are crucial for human connection and can even function through images on a screen, such as social media. You can use this idea to enhance your communication abilities and discover how to project confidence.
When conversing with someone, “mirror” them by adopting a similar body language, voice tone, and terminology. It needs talent and sensitivity, but if done effectively, it will help you create relationships with others and exert influence over them.
A person’s body language is the very first thing they observe about you. If you have poor posture and your head is drooping, people will not perceive you as a confident individual. No one looks at a person with their arms folded over their chest and their eyes down on the ground and concludes, “this individual exudes confidence and competence.” Making eye contact while speaking demonstrates your assertiveness. And when someone else talks, it demonstrates that you are paying attention. Inform your superiors and coworkers that you are as comfortable taking the lead as sitting back and listening.
You can, thankfully, learn to exude confidence through body language. In this instance, the cliche expression “fake it till you make it” is accurate—fake confidence by adopting a commanding stance, wearing a calm countenance, and keeping your head high. You will not only appear more confident, but you will also feel more confident by adopting this stance. Keep your shoulders back and chin up, and you’ll exhibit confidence even if you don’t have it. Be proactive in situations for which you may not feel entirely prepared. And you’ll start to believe it soon enough.
How to Appear More Confident as a Working Mom: Identify Your Strengths
Your mood and self-assurance are bound to take a hit if you believe your efforts aren’t paying off. Therefore, it is imperative that you are completely honest with yourself on your personal objectives and anticipations and that you ensure that you are living up to their requirements. Instead of waiting to be told whether or not your work is good, ask for criticism as you go. You’ll stop worrying about where you went wrong and instead have a clearer picture of how you’re doing overall and where you can make the most progress.
Invest more time in the aspects of the job you already know you can do well. Professional development activities – such as taking a course, reading, or networking – can also boost your confidence and give you the tools to make decisions confidently. Whether you want to impress a supervisor or a colleague, use those skills. And continue to improve upon these skills — you can always get better. Don’t speak about your strengths using words like “maybe” or “possibly.” Say everything as an absolute, and communicate assertively.
Don’t be afraid to express your opinion, even if it may not be popular. Showing confidence in your decisions and ideas is a great way to stand out.
You probably have a sneaky feeling that you tend to hunt for proof that demonstrates people are responding positively to you when in actuality, you probably look for data that proves people are reacting negatively to you. But you’re not alone. Insecure people tend to focus more on their weaknesses and what they aren’t good at. Confident people focus on what they are good at.
Turn your focus toward what you’re good at while at work. This can change your entire outlook. A good number of us typically start by looking for confirmation confirming our anxieties are correct rather than looking for evidence that demonstrates that our fears are unfounded. Thus, you shouldn’t be doing this; instead, look for signs that others are reacting favorably to you.
Another way on how to appear more confident as a working mom is to learn new abilities. This will increase not only your competence but also your self-assurance on the job, and there is always an opportunity for development. Keep an eye out for what other people are doing well, and model your actions after theirs. To improve your abilities and your performance on the job, you should participate in seminars devoted to doing just that. Choose transferable skills such as managing time, service and support, and efficiency, or acquire a skill directly applicable to your position.
How to Appear More Confident as a Working Mom: Yes… What You Wear Matters
Appearing confident is all about subtle details. If you’re wondering how to appear more confident as a working mom, it is essential to appear put together. Dressing well attracts a ton of attention. This can help boost your outlook and self-confidence. It will also influence how your co-workers see you.
Power dressing is a technique that most professionals do to appear confident in the workplace. This means wearing their best clothes and always look at their best in the workplace. Your clothing, albeit arguably shallow, can open doors to opportunities. Consider how you treat yourself externally. Practice positive affirmations and avoid negative language. You are the best person to build yourself up; do not devalue your skills and contributions.
How to Appear More Confident as a Working Mom: Come Prepared
Productivity may be a factor in your lack of workplace confidence. Productivity diminishes when you lack confidence. The opposite is true: lacking productivity might make you feel less confident. Do this if you’re unclear of how you operate best: As your workday begins, pay close attention to when you get distracted and put a plan in place to regain concentration.
Women wondering how to appear more confident as a working mom need to invest in their professional development. Professional development is continuously learning new skills, knowledge, and behaviors that help you advance in your career.
Set a positive tone in any interaction you have with colleagues, superiors, and customers. Take time to prepare before meetings or presentations. Research the subject matter, practice your presentation in front of a mirror or friends and create an agenda that is organized and relevant. This will help you enter the meeting with confidence and make sure you stay on track throughout your presentation.
Find ways to network both inside and outside of your organization. Having contacts in different areas of the company or industry can help you gain access to opportunities, resources, and knowledge. It also helps to maintain a positive reputation in your organization and beyond. If you need to know how to appear more confident as a working mom, work with a competent mentor. Time, occasionally money, and willing participation are necessary for finding a mentor. Find out whether your employer offers mentorship programs or look out for mentorship opportunities in your industry. Another option is to seek assistance from a respected coworker.
Be proactive when it comes to learning new skills. You become the best version of yourself every time you take the time to challenge yourself and learn something new. Invest in your professional development by attending webinars, workshops, or seminars that help you stay current on industry trends and best practices. The more you know, the more you can carry yourself with confidence in the workplace.
You can only know what’s best for you based on your time, capacity, and abilities if you have confidence. When you stretch your boundaries at work, your confidence increases. When you are aware of your limits or when a task is outside the scope of your knowledge, you might develop self-respect. To acquire confidence, learn to self-manage your boundaries.
How to Appear More Confident as a Working Mom: Finally, Learn From Your Mistakes
Finally, remember that mistakes are part of the learning process. Adopt a growth mindset and be willing to take risks. You won’t always get it right, but you will develop the skills and experience needed to grow professionally.
The implementation of improvement plans and goal-setting strategies often involves making some blunders. Examining your failures and gaining insight might help you avoid such errors in the future and hone your capacity to tackle complex issues.
If you make a mistake when entering the code for a piece of data input software, for instance, instead of retracing your steps and trying again, you can check where you made the entry and determine whether the problem resulted from a user error or a bad piece of code. If you take the time to reflect on your actions and identify what went wrong, you’ll be better equipped to avoid making the same mistake again.
Resilience is important when you’re wondering how to appear more confident as a working mom because it allows you to adapt confidently to the changes in the workplace. As work environments continue to evolve, having a resilient disposition is necessary to prepare yourself for new challenges. Being resilient will also help you develop as a critical thinker. This skill allows you to create solutions to potential problems, significantly boosting your confidence as you produce results consistently.