Expert Tips for Communicating With Confidence

Whether it’s in life or business, communication is everything.

At some point or another, you’ll deal with big egos, hot-headed figures and people lacking the self-confidence to speak up.

Not knowing how to communicate with different types of people can cause problems both at work and in your personal life. 

It all actually boils down to communicating with confidence. 

Effective communication is an invaluable skill that can significantly impact your success. Confidence plays a pivotal role in presenting your ideas, expressing your thoughts, and engaging with colleagues, clients, and superiors. Whether pitching a new project, leading a team meeting, or networking at an industry event, confidence can drive your accomplishments. Let's delve into the importance of confidence when speaking in the workplace and why it can be a game-changer for your career.

What is confidence and why is it important?

Essentially, confidence is knowing what you’re good at, the value you provide, and acting in a way that conveys that to those around you.

Its importance is justified in recent research, which shows when people are put in situations where they are expected to not do well, their performance plunges. Quite literally, they get into a negative headspace and behave in an undesirable manner. However, when they’re expected to do well, they’re generally in a positive headspace and their performance improves considerably. Same person, different expectations.

A lot of the time, it’s thought that being confident depends on what you say or the words you use. But, it actually depends on what the other person hears which is why communicating clearly is vital.
Here are some tips to keep in mind:

• Maintain eye contact and smile while you’re speaking.

• Speak at a steady pace so the other person understands what you’re saying.

• Take a few risks like showing some humour. Like confidence, it’s infectious so spread it as much as you can. This can help conversations go more smoothly.

• Don’t use ‘maybe’ words like ‘just’, ‘perhaps’ or ‘like’ as it can undersell what you’re trying to say.

Use specific language. This is where you need to know your audience before communicating with them. The terms and phrases you use might not be in their vocabulary which means things can often be lost in translation. There might also be a language barrier which will change how you speak and the words you use.

Also, use language that’s really clear so the conversation doesn’t end and there’s absolutely no ambiguity surrounding what you said. Know your audience, communicate how they do and make everything clear.

When you combine communication skills with emotional intelligence, it enables you to be heard more accurately, inspire and motivate others as well as improve relationships with co-workers. It’s a useful skill to have, especially in an evolving workplace.

It’s easy to fall into a habit of reacting to conflict as emotional outbursts and feelings of anger are common. As an emotionally intelligent person, you’ll know how to stay calm during stressful situations which means you won’t make any impulsive decisions.

Assertive communication is a good way to earn some respect. There’s obviously a fine balance between being too aggressive or being a pushover, but emotionally intelligent people know how to communicate their thoughts directly without disrespecting anyone.

Great, what can I do to improve my confidence in the workplace?

• Change your viewpoint: People who lack confidence tend to be concerned about the impact others have on them. Instead, they should focus on the impact they have on others. This empowerment improves your effectiveness because you’ll realise it’s what you do that matters, not what others do to you.

• Acknowledge your achievements: When you do something well or achieve something, don’t sweep it under the carpet. Acknowledge it and give yourself praise, even if it’s  just a minor achievement. Make sure your boss knows about any good work you’ve done. Be mindful to be realistic about your achievements to ensure you aren’t pushing your own barrow.

• Act confident: Ever heard of the saying ‘a picture paints a thousand words’? Now, picture yourself. How do you look? What message do you communicate the moment you walk into a room? What’s your body language saying? What information can prospective clients or co-workers gather about you before you even say a word? Yes, as you can tell, acting confident is incredibly important. Be aware of how you hold yourself and the signals your body language is sending out. Think about your posture. Stand up straight, and when you move around a room, move with purpose.

With the job market more competitive than ever, the best way to stand out is to show your confidence in the work place. Stand tall, be proud and enjoy what you do; after all, that’s the most important thing.