How Much Confidence Do You Really Need? When It’s a Plus and When It’s a Liability

Having the right amount of confidence can get you promoted. But having too much can rub people the wrong way. How can you assert yourself at work without going overboard? Read on to find out.

Confidence is about being self-assured and believing in yourself. Confident people exude charisma, which bodes well if your job entails persuading consumers and customers. They also inspire trust in bosses and clients that they will get the job done. For this reason, mentors usually advise people to “be more confident” at work if they want to get ahead.

It’s natural to feel hesitant when you are new at the job and adjusting to the office culture. But as you gain experience and expertise, your conviction in your capabilities grows. Confidence allows you to speak up at meetings and accept challenges, thus opening yourself up to growth and opportunities. Your assuredness makes you seen as that go-to person in the company – and even enhances your leadership potential.

If you’re experiencing a lull in your career, ask yourself if you're coming across as a confident or less-than-confident professional. And don’t worry. Even if you do not have a healthy level of confidence right now, rest assured that you can nourish and improve this trait with time.

Signs Your Confidence Is Low

According to the samePsychology Todayarticle, 85 per cent of people worldwide suffer from self-esteem issues. Low self-esteem is typically the cause of most cases of low self-confidence.

While your sense of self-worth has deep roots in your childhood or early social experiences, you can change your mindset. After all, many factors can affect how you feel about yourself at any given time. For example, your home life or financial situation then might not be the same now. Even how secure you feel about your job can change. When job security is threatened, anxiety takes over and your confidence can drop.

The following signs are red flags that your confidence is below optimum levels.

• Feeling that you are “not good enough”
• Second-guessing yourself
• Not taking action
• Not voicing your needs
• Not voicing your opinions

How to Become More Confident

Think you can use more confidence? Alexandra Levit, the author ofBlind Spots: The 10 Business Myths You Can’t Afford to Believe on Your New Path to Success, says that appearing confident and capable starts internally: “Other people don’t view us as talented or as worthy because we don’t appear to view ourselves that way.”

You can raise your self-esteem through self-affirmations, recognising your strengths, challenging yourself, having realistic goals, and not comparing yourself with others.

If you want to raise your confidence at work without going overboard, do these five things:

Recognise what you bring to the table.

Listing your accomplishments and strengths can give you a new perspective on your capabilities. Use it as a reminder of how great you are at your job. Plus, knowing what you’re good at allows you to see where you can shine at work.

Upskill and reskill.

If you feel less confident in certain areas of your job, enrol in a course or get training. A study conducted by Human Resources Director Asia found that learning new skills made 76 per cent of professionals feel more assured in their ability to do their jobs. Don’t let yourself fall behind in terms of skills. Upskilling and reskilling are the best ways to future-proof yourself.

Ask for the job (say yes to opportunities).

Try something new. Volunteer for new projects. Taking on new challenges leads you to opportunities to grow and be confident with your skills. So step up and ask for the job. However, practise this tip with caution. It’s easy to advise someone to say yes to everything. But it’s why listing your capabilities (step 1) is crucial. Agreeing to a project outside your current skill set might diminish your morale if it doesn’t go as well as you hope.

Mind your posture.

Stand up tall. The mind-body connection is powerful. When you straighten your back, you immediately feel stronger and more confident. Other people will see you as more confident as well.

Set the bar high enough for yourself.

When it comes to your career path, you must be in the driver’s seat. Make a plan and set your goals high. Not too high that they are out of reach, but high enough so that you can challenge yourself. Once you reach that, you can take it up another rung. The more goals you accomplish for yourself, the better your confidence will grow.

What Is Overconfidence?

On the opposite end of the spectrum, some people are overconfident. According to the American Psychological Association, overconfidence is the overestimation of your ability to perform a task successfully whether from a belief that your performance is better than other or by excessive certainty in the accuracy of your beliefs.

It has been blamed for high-profile mistakes and incidents such as the sinking of the Titanic and the mortgage crisis of 2008 as well as the great recession that followed it. It’s also a leading cause of automobile accidents in Singapore.

You can spot it in the workplace when someone does one or more of the following:

• Takes unnecessary risks
• Gives an opinion on everything
• Is critical of others
• Refuses to ask for help
• Takes credit for group projects

Carl Carabelli, writing for Chron, says that overconfidence at the office can lead to these undesirable consequences:

• Inadequate performance

Overconfident people won't accept that their work is less than perfect and do not listen to criticism. But by ignoring feedback, they miss the opportunity to learn from their mistakes.

• Accidents

Overconfident people take unnecessary risks because they think they can handle them or the safety regulations don’t apply to them. Such reckless behaviour puts the entire team in danger.

• Conflicts

An overconfident individual comes across as arrogant and inflexible. Overconfident people also tend to think they are the best people for the job, diminishing the contributions of the rest of the team. It may lead to conflict.

• Toxic work environment

Conflicts lead to unpleasant work environments and hinder teamwork.

The Goldilocks Zone of Confidence

Dr Katharine Brooks, director of Liberal Arts Career Services at the University of Texas at Austin says that feelings of confidence should be regulated since either extreme can harm your career.

How do you know if you have just a good dose of confidence? Navigating the thin line between arrogance and being self-assured can be tricky. Check out this table for a quick guide.

Confidence in just the right amount helps you face challenges and cope with setbacks without being an arrogant employee or co-worker. Take charge of your career and start building your confidence today.

If you are facing job insecurity or losing confidence in your ability to do your job, it may be time to#SEEKBetter. Login to JobStreet today to learn what opportunities await you. If you haven’t signed up yet, download the app at Google Play or App Store.