Imagine this: You head into your job more than ready to secure the leadership position you have been preparing for. Two days later, your boss calls you into the office to give you feedback on how your presentation went. Your heart is pounding. Your hands are sweating. Your boss shares the news, and you smile from ear to ear as you learn you’ve been given the leadership position you have worked so hard for.
What did your boss reveal was the determining factor of your success? Your confidence!
Confidence is the ultimate game changer in your career development and advancement. There is a strong connection between your personal and professional confidence. My goal is to empower you to unlock your personal and professional currency of confidence.
Let’s jump into the mindset of understanding the power of confidence. When applying for or interviewing for a new job, you will be asked about your skills and accomplishments. To confidently present yourself as the best person for the role, you must first define confidence for yourself. Defining personal confidence means being self-aware enough to know you have a unique flare that only you can possess and exude – in other words, confidently owning your strengths and successes.
Allow me to share a few confidence-building strategies to get you started. I am going to outline my R.A.A.D. Methodology, which has helped transform the confidence of dozens of thought leaders across the globe.
Release
Let us begin with the R, which indicates the releasing of the limiting beliefs that prevent you from showing up confidently. While you are on the journey of unlocking your personal and professional confidence, there will be many thoughts that pop in your head. Some of these thoughts will be good, while others will be bad. The best thing you can do to boost your confidence is release your negative self-talk.
“Confidence is the ultimate game changer in your career development and advancement.”
Remember, your confidence, skills and talents are unique. To move forward in your career, it is your responsibility to be your own biggest cheerleader. Start cheering yourself on mentally and you will see your confidence boost your career outcomes.
Alignment
Next in my R.A.A.D. Methodology, we have the letter A, which indicates alignment. As you are advancing in your career, it will be of the utmost importance to increase your expertise and the mentorship you receive in the workplace. If you fear stepping up for a promotion or career opportunity, this is a sure sign you should start surrounding yourself with people who support your goals and aspirations.
As you align yourself with thought leaders, you will have a greater opportunity to identify your strengths and weaknesses. You will have the opportunity to engage in continuous learning, developing new skills that boost your confidence.
I’ll never forget this slogan I learned in college: “It’s not what you know, but who you know.” I want you to remember this concept as you strive to increase your personal and professional confidence in your workplace. Don’t be afraid to reach out to new people in different departments. Strive to network continuously. Networking with professionals who are in alignment with the goals you want to accomplish will boost your confidence and allow you to build a strong support system as you advance in your career.
Accomplish
The second A in R.A.A.D. stands for accomplish. This is a golden nugget when striving to advance your career confidence. Here’s the truth: sometimes you win and sometimes you fail but every time you show up confidently with the desire to elevate, you learn.
As you strive to boost your confidence, embracing failures will be a great learning opportunity. I want to empower you to have a growth mindset. When you leverage your personal strengths in the workplace, you will notice a major boost in your confidence. Be bold, ambitious and authentic, and you can overcome your imposter syndrome and self-doubt. Every small, medium and large accomplishment in your career will increase the synergy of your personal and professional confidence.
Dream
Finally, we have the D in R.A.A.D, which indicates your ability to dream. With many of my corporate clients, I notice that their dreams are limited to the four walls of their office space. But I want to empower you to dream larger than your current company. I want you to see that your current career is simply the start of a larger impact you can have on individuals all around the globe.
Setting and tracking your career goals is the start of dreaming of more impact in your career. Continue with this dream by visualizing your career 3-5 years in advance. Where do you want to be? What impact do you want to make and on whom? What skills and expertise would you need to work on in the meantime to help you accomplish this goal? Create a vision board with pictures and words that represent the dream life your career is helping you create.
In closing, I encourage you to embark on your confidence-building journey. Your confidence, skills and talents are unique to you. The more you show up authentically, the greater career advancement you will experience. It is your responsibility to take radical action toward creating and growing your dream career, confidently and authentically.
