Becoming a More Confident Business Woman

Even if you are fantastic at your job and successful within your line of work, that doesn’t mean that confidence is necessarily going to come naturally to you. Women have fought for the right to be equal within the world of business for generations, and though a lot of progress has been made over the past few decades, it is still a work in progress; therefore, it is understandable that sometimes being self-assured at work can be somewhat of a challenge for women in comparison to their male counterparts. No matter your line of work, if you are looking to become more of a self-confident and assertive person within your job, here are a few tips you might find useful along the way.

Body Language

Believe it or not, making simple changes, such as to the way you stand, can immediately make a difference to the way in which you are perceived by your co-workers, but also in how you feel internally. Body language is a very powerful tool, and using it correctly could make a massive difference to you. For example, someone who hunches over and crosses their arms across their chest could be perceived as vulnerable or anxious; where as standing straighten, with your shoulders back and feet shoulder-width apart will instantly give you more of a dominant presence.

Dress for confidence

Your clothes are more than just the items you chuck on before hurrying off to work in the morning: they are more like your professional armor. Dressing well is the best way to show people that you mean business, and will also help you to feel more confident within yourself. You need to try and strike a balance between dressing for comfort (because if you are uncomfortable, you will definitely not feel self-assured), and dressing to make a statement. Even making simple changes to your current wardrobe, such as adding a blazer to dress up the outfit, or ironing creases into your work trousers, could make all the difference.

Even changing your hairstyle will affect how you feel internally: tying your hair up prevents you from hiding behind your hair, and presents you as a more outgoing person. Once you do implement these changes, make sure to get a professional photographer, such as the services of Mike Sansone Photography, to take some new headshots of you, so that you can include your new look on any websites or other documents you feature in. The basis of this technique is simple: if you are struggling to bring confidence from the inside- out, then try building it from the outside-in.

Posture and Presence

Don’t be afraid to take up space: make yourself known and stand tall. Instigating direct eye contact with someone you are speaking directly to will show them that you are in control of a situation, and will also invoke their confidence in you; the same is true for sweeping the crowd if you are addressing a large group of people: don’t just look at the floor. You should also try to sit straight in chairs, as good posture is thought to be a good indicator of self belief. The more you act bold, the more confident you will begin to feel.

Thanks to Ana