Confidence is such a great feeling. It’s that sense of trust in ourselves, that feeling of self-assurance that things will turn out how we expect them to. And there’s no telling how many hundreds of pages have been written on it over the years. 

But there are some truths that don’t get as much discussion as others when exploring confidence in the workplace. If you’ve been hoping to grow your confidence, or wonder how confidence connects with results, diving into these truths could give you the additional insights you need.

Confidence Killers are Real

It’s hard to confront uncomfortable truths. But in any area we work to improve, we must often start at the root of the problem we want to solve. Business News Daily identified 5 workplace confidence killers:

• Perfectionism: Because no one is perfect, being overly conscious of (and attached to) our mistakes is only going to erode our confidence. 
• Micromanagement: When people micromanage us, the subtext is, “They don’t trust me to do my job well”, and that can really do a number on our confidence. 
• Disengagement: When we feel “checked out” at work, we often struggle with feeling like things will get better over time, which directly affects how confident we feel in workplace interactions. 
• Fear of Failure: If confidence is a sense of certainty, then fear taking over means uncertainty dominates instead. Unless we can let go of that fear, we risk getting stuck in a cycle where it’s more and more difficult to feel confident at work. 
• Difficult Colleagues: If we have difficulties with people we work with, or if they have difficulties with us, we may struggle feeling confident in our success. Or we may feel like we don’t have a clear path forward to reach our goals.

As you think through these confidence killers, one or two likely resonate with you. Being honest about your limitations can actually help you strengthen your confidence in the long run. The clearer you are on what’s holding you back and why, the more readily you can reshape those limiting beliefs into growth opportunities. 

Leaders’ Confidence Sets the Tone 

Leaders model the culture of the workplace. This probably isn’t news to you. But if you struggle with confidence, or if confidence killers are taking hold, your fellow leaders and teams could be struggling, too. Conversely, when you model confidence, you’ll likely notice more people throughout your team confronting their fears and feeling more ready to take on challenges than ever before. Keep in mind:

• Modeling confidence includes modeling the growth and change necessary to become a more confident leader. Find ways to be transparent about what you’re working on, and why you’re prioritizing those areas of your professional development.
• Your support could make a big difference in how confident your teammates feel. Whenever possible, remind people of their strengths, encourage a positive mindset about challenges, and extend grace in the face of missteps.
• Confidence isn’t arrogance. Arrogance is characterized by a refusal to accept input and an exaggerated sense of one’s accomplishments. Confidence, on the other hand, happens when we are secure in what we do well, and how we could benefit from professional growth. 

Confidence Impacts the Bottom Line 

According to research by Indeed, confidence is more than a good feeling. It can have a direct impact on results. Why?

“Nearly all workers (98%) say they perform better when they feel confident. This makes sense, since many foundational workplace skills, including work ethic, are driven by confidence. What’s more, 96% of respondents are more likely to stay at a company when they feel confident.”

If almost everyone they surveyed performs better when they feel more confident, it’s obvious why confidence building is worth the investment across teams and departments. Cultivating confidence at every level means greater drive to get things done, better retention, and overall better results. Taking the time to address and correct confidence gaps could be the difference between turnover and growth. What are you waiting for?