Confidence is important, isn’t it? Wherever you go in life, if you have confidence then you’ll get further than those who don’t. Confident people speak up more, get heard more and generally have more extroverted charm and charisma than those who hide away and stay quiet.
In business, confidence is everything. You have to have the confidence and tenacity to push forward for what you want, where you want your business to go and be able to steer it through the sometimes-murky economic waters that businesses face. No one can teach you how to be confident, though. There are courses out there on public speaking, an organizational leadership masters degree that you can add to your resume and your experiences, but there’s no one course that waves you over and says that it can teach you how to speak out while you run a company. Generally, people who are in a position of owning and running their own business have a level of confidence that is natural and right there, ready to be drawn on. If you find you are in a position of leadership but have no idea how to manage people or a team, you first have to read our four tips below. This way, you can learn how you should be carrying yourself so that you can confidently grow your business.
- It seems so simple, but manners are often forgotten in business. Employees never leave bad companies, only bad managers. If a business leader is dismissive of their staff, and clients aren’t comfortable around them, then a lesson in etiquette is required. Being mindful about the way your behaviour impacts those around you can make you a better person, as well as a better leader. People would rather look up to someone polite than someone who brushes them aside.
- There are plenty of online tutorials and coaches that can help you to better communicate. Even the most confident person still finds it hard to stand up in front of a team of people to talk about business. Be thoughtful in your listening and reply patiently, even if you are stunned by a question.
- Keeping your composure in business can make the people around you feel steady and calm. As long as you have patience and a demeanour of tranquillity and hard work, then that will be reflected when you are managing people. Not losing your head in a crisis is important so learning to keep as patient as possible is important.
- Business doesn’t always go the way you envision. You make a huge business plan outlining everything you need for a business and that doesn’t mean that everything will go smoothly. Businesses fail – it’s a sad and true fact about the business world and the only way to survive it is by focusing on the good and not the bad.
Your confidence will change the way people perceive you and to be a successful leader, you want people to see you in a good, positive light.