How to Improve Confidence at Work
We all have moments when a lack of confidence holds us back at work. But for some professionals, constant self-doubt becomes a suffocating pattern that sabotages career growth.
If you struggle to recognise your talents, speak up in meetings, take credit for achievements, or feel like an imposter in your role, this guide is for you.
Let's break down practical strategies to trade insecurity for greater confidence in your abilities so you can excel at work.
Is it normal to feel incompetent at work?
Absolutely. It's common to sometimes question ourselves at all levels, especially when stretching into new responsibilities. And it might be more common than ever. According to a Hubspot study, 85% of people in the workplace feel incompetent or experience imposter syndrome despite having at least three years of experience in their field.
Frequent or intense feelings of incompetence can hold us back from realising our potential. The tips below can help build justified confidence.
Why do I lack so much confidence at work?
There are a few typical root causes for chronic work confidence struggles:
Perfectionism
Perfectionism sounds positive in theory, but it can actually tank confidence. When you fear failure or critique so much that you only act when confident of achieving flawless results, you paralyse your own progress.
Basing your self-esteem on perfection is exhausting and unsustainable. Avoiding risk means missed growth opportunities. You end up stuck in analysis paralysis, overpreparing but never leaping.
This perfectionistic pressure can manifest as:
Overthinking simple decisions rather than trusting your gut
Endlessly seeking others' input before acting
Being risk-averse and sticking to your comfort zone
Labouring for weeks on a project, continually changing details
Seeing a mistake as a disaster rather than a learning chance
However, taking risks and experiencing failure accelerates growth. The most successful people recognise failure as valuable feedback to inform improvement.
As Brené Brown says: "Perfectionism hampers success. In fact, it's often the path to depression, anxiety, addiction, and life paralysis."
Striving for excellence over perfection takes the pressure off. Define what is a minimally viable action, then get constructive feedback quickly through tests, but only ask people whose feedback is relevant to the project. And once that’s done, let go of it. You did the best you could, and that’s “perfect”.
Imposter Syndrome
Up to 82% of people face feelings of impostor phenomenon. They struggle with the sense they haven't earned what they've achieved. But you worked hard to get here!
Building sustainable confidence requires reframing how we see ourselves. Free up an hour in your calendar and try these mindset shifts:
1. Write down past successes and positive feedback. Proof you have valued strengths is powerful.
2. When doubting, treat yourself as a trusted friend and think of ways you would encourage them. Don’t you deserve that too?
3. Focus on using your gifts rather than comparing them to others. Are you a good listener? Can you lift the mood at work with your storytelling? We all have unique value to offer.
Childhood programming
The messages you receive in your formative years can imprint deeply on your self-image. If parents, teachers or peers frequently criticised your intelligence or abilities, it likely still echoes.
Being deprived of encouragement and praise as a child can make developing natural confidence in your talents difficult. Even well-meaning advice to "be realistic" gets interpreted as doubt when you are young.
The impact creeps up in adulthood as excessive perfectionism, discounting wins as flukes, or shrinking from challenges to avoid failure. Constructive feedback feels like a personal attack. That makes it challenging to show up with confidence at your annual review.
But the good news is confidence can be relearned. Look back with compassion on the child who was criticised or unsupported. Write down typical sentences you were told that defined you. Then, look forward - you get to write the rest of the story using empowering words.
Here are some book recommendations that might help you to learn more about childhood programming and improving self-esteem:
"Running on Empty: Overcome Your Childhood Emotional Neglect" by Jonice Webb - Focuses on the long-term impact of childhood emotional neglect and how to heal.
"Adult Children of Emotionally Immature Parents" by Lindsay C. Gibson - Identifies unhealthy parental behaviours and how to regain self-esteem.
"Will I Ever Be Good Enough? Healing the Daughters of Narcissistic Mothers" by Karyl McBride - Strategies for overcoming critical and unsupportive parenting.
"Self-Esteem: A Proven Program of Cognitive Techniques for Assessing, Improving, and Maintaining Your Self-Esteem" by Matthew McKay - Practical exercises for cultivating self-esteem from childhood experiences.
As an adult, you can identify areas needing improvement, ask for support, and acknowledge your progress. Provide your inner child with the nurturing they need. Your abilities are not fixed but open to growth.
Though childhood plays a role, confidence develops throughout life. Recognise unhelpful old patterns, but don't let them define you. What you believe you can become matters far more than what you were told you couldn't.
A focus on weaknesses
It's easy (and very human) to obsess over our shortcomings. But when we fixate on flaws, we fail to recognise our strengths.
Dwelling on weaknesses breeds discouragement as we discount talents that others readily see in us. Sure, we all have areas for improvement - but they are just one part of a larger picture.
Try reframing weaknesses as opportunities for growth.
- Say, "Public speaking is a skill I'm building" rather than "I'm terrible at presenting."
- Think "I'm working on delegating more effectively" vs. "I'm so bad at delegating."
When we reframe constructively, confidence grows through competence. Manage weaknesses by proactively developing those skills, just as you would a muscle. And sometimes, those weaknesses help us develop other skills that make all the difference.
Look at billionaire entrepreneur Richard Branson. A school dropout at 15, he stresses that his learning disability made him a better leader by forcing him to delegate and lean on team strengths. Reframing it as an asset rather than a flaw fueled his confidence.
Don't let a spotlight on shortcomings blind you to your full potential.
Compare and despair
It's tempting to measure our worth by comparing ourselves to others. But playing this comparison game breeds insecurity.
Rather than noticing their strengths, we zero in on accomplishments where colleagues or peers seem ahead ("She gives better presentations than me").
This selective focus disregards our own talents and distorts our self-perception. Their strengths don't undermine ours.
For example, you might obsess over a coworker's public speaking skills. But while envying those abilities, you discount your ability to build a rapport with everyone or your listening skills.
We all have a mix of strengths and weaknesses, even the people we envy. Comparing skews our confidence by losing sight of that.
The only fair benchmark is yourself. Are you improving upon past performance and reaching new capabilities through continuous growth?
With self-awareness, these patterns can be rewritten intentionally. Reframe comparisons as inspiration for expanding your abilities while still recognising your inherent strengths.
You are on your own journey. Don't let admiration for others detract from appreciating how far you've come or valuing your unique contributions. We all have gifts to offer. If you struggle to see your strengths, why not journal your weekly wins? A bullet journal can also help to track your progress.
People-pleasing
It is natural to want respect and appreciation from colleagues and leaders. But when our self-worth gets tied to external validation, it undermines confidence in our decisions and abilities.
People-pleasers change directions to align with the opinions of others vs. sticking to their convictions.
This tendency shows up at work as:
Flipping priorities to please the most vocal person in the room
Remaining silent when disagreeing to avoid ruffling feathers
Over apologising for mistakes and looking to others to determine the severity
Changing communication style based on the audience
The root is a lack of self-confidence and reliance on others for guidance. But no one else can be your inner compass.
Realise that you have a choice. Think of boundaries as the outward expression of self-love. Once you figure out your priorities and the types of people you want to be around, it becomes easier to say no to anything that doesn't align with your life goals. Don't be surprised if your relationships change and some connections disappear. This process usually takes time, but it is worth it.
What Is the fastest way to gain confidence?
We all have moments when we need an immediate confidence boost before a big presentation, evaluation, or other significant event at work.
While building lasting confidence takes time, get an instant confidence boost when needed by repeating this simple but powerful mantra to yourself:
"I have succeeded before, and I will succeed again. My hard work gets results. I add value through my unique talents and efforts. I believe in my ability to contribute and make progress."
Why does this quick mental reset work so well?
First, remembering past successes activates positive memories of achieving results, silencing the inner critic.
Second, focusing on your work ethic directs your mindset to the process rather than the end product. You control the effort, not the outcome. And effort builds competence.
Finally, the mantra shifts your thinking from self-doubt to emphasising your value. It steers you towards what you have to offer.
In as little as 30 seconds, repeating empowering messages creates an upward spiral, generating authentic confidence from the inside out.
Try this the next time you need to quickly get your head in the game before a high-stakes moment. Remember, you must practise these mantras beforehand for them to work.
The bottom line
A lack of confidence is not a permanent condition but an indicator that you must shift unconstructive thoughts.
The above strategies can help you write a new story of recognising your talents, taking risks, and fulfilling your potential. And if you want a more personalised approach, why not book a free initial call with me here?