How to boost your confidence at work

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Struggling to feel confident in your abilities at work? Monitor your praise and successes, recognise your strong points (and areas for improvement), and ensure you have a system in place that supports your growth.

✔️ celebrate your wins

✔️ identify your strengths, weaknesses, opportunities

✔️ set measurable goals

⏱ How much time will I invest?+
  • The complete loop: this means short, separate sessions for each of the three tactics in order
  • Ongoing process: use these tactics regularly and consistently to maintain a great working environment
☕️ What example scenario will be used in the tactics below?+

The barista at Pip’s Cafe is feeling unsure about their abilities, as they navigate the bustling environment of the popular coffee shop. Despite their passion for coffee and customer service, they often find themselves second-guessing their skills.

1

Use Winventory to celebrate your wins

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🧠 What’s the goal? List and celebrate your wins to stay motivated.

👀 Why is this important? Focus on the positives and celebrate even the smallest victories, so you’ll be more inclined to continue to pursue your goals and develop beneficial habits. Use this tactic weekly, monthly or annually.

“Success is the sum of small efforts, repeated day in day out.”– Robert Collier

💡 Tip: keep your Winventory handy and review it whenever you need a confidence boost.

Instructions

  1. Choose your timeframe – decide if you want to reflect on your wins from the past week, month or year.
  2. Grab a pen and paper, open a digital document, or use a dedicated app to list your wins. The key is to have a designated space to record your accomplishments.
  3. Think back on your chosen timeframe and list all the wins you can remember. These can be outcomes you achieved, habits you maintained, praise you received or challenges you overcame. Don’t be shy; no win is too small!
    A graphic with a pale blue background showcasing four post-it notes, each containing a statement of personal achievement over the last week. From left to right, the notes read: 'learned how to foam milk correctly,' 'talked calmly to our most negative customer,' 'drank water consistently throughout my work day,' and 'made some successful lattes for customers.' The heading at the top in a larger font states 'In the last week I have...
  4. Take a moment to review your list and appreciate your achievements.
 
⬇️ In the next tactic, with these this positive energy, do SWOT Analysis.
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2

Use SWOT Analysis to identify strengths, weaknesses, opportunities

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🧠 What’s the goal? Identify strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats for a desired end-state.

👀 Why is this important? Evaluate your current likelihood of success relative to an objective. Understand what’s impeding you, and what you can improve on.

💡 Tip: take a moment to celebrate your strengths. Know that to clearly lay out your range of weakness to strengths gives you agency for making changes in your life.

Instructions

  1. Create a quadrant as shown on a large surface.
    An image depicting a simple two-by-two matrix with a light background. Each quadrant is numbered and labeled with one of the components of a SWOT analysis. Quadrant 1 at the top left is labeled 'Strengths,' quadrant 2 at the top right is 'Opportunities,' quadrant 3 at the bottom left is 'Weaknesses,' and quadrant 4 at the bottom right is 'Threats

  2. Spend 5-10 minutes writing down all the Strengths in respect to the desired end-state, one per sticky note. 
    "Continuation of the 'Strengths' section in a SWOT analysis, with three post-it notes on a white background. The notes, in a soft teal color, list 'Coffee Knowledge: Expertise in making a range of coffee drinks,' 'Resilience: can maintain composure in a fast-paced setting,' and 'Passion: Enthusiasm for coffee culture.'"

  3. Then do the next section, Weaknesses. 
    This image features three yellow post-it notes each listing a different personal attribute as part of a self-assessment. The first note on the left reads 'Confidence: Tendency to self-doubt and second-guess abilities.' The middle note is labeled 'Experience Gaps: Can't create coffee-foam art confidently.' The note on the right states 'Stress Management: Challenges in managing stress during busy periods.' The notes are arranged horizontally against a neutral background.

  4. Repeat until all sections are complete. 
    A SWOT analysis chart divided into four quadrants on a white background. The top left quadrant is labeled 'Strengths' and includes three teal post-it notes reading: 'Coffee Knowledge: Expertise in making a range of coffee drinks,' 'Resilience: can maintain composure in a fast-paced setting,' and 'Passion: Enthusiasm for coffee culture.' The top right quadrant is 'Opportunities' with green post-it notes stating: 'Skill Enhancement: Access to training for skill development,' 'Customer Relations: Potential to build loyalty through consistent service,' and 'Peer Learning: Chance to learn from more experienced baristas.' The bottom left quadrant is 'Weaknesses,' with yellow post-it notes saying: 'Confidence: Tendency to self-doubt and second-guess abilities,' 'Experience Gaps: Areas of the job where skills could be improved,' and 'Stress Management: Challenges in managing stress during busy periods.' The bottom right quadrant is 'Threats' with pink post-it notes listing: 'Internal Competition: Rivalry with peers for opportunities,' and 'Market Trends: Need to keep up with changing customer tastes.'

  5. Now look at your Opportunities section and decide for yourself which part do you want to action towards positive change.
    "The 'Opportunities' section of a SWOT analysis, showing three post-it notes with potential areas for growth. They read 'Skill Enhancement: upcoming coffee-art training workshop,' 'Customer Relations: Potential to build loyalty through consistent service,' and 'Peer Learning: Chance to learn from more experienced baristas.' The notes are a light green color against a white background."
    Frame this into a “How might I…” statement.
    Example: How might I learn from more experienced baristas?

⬇️ In the next tactic, take your How might I... statement and use it with Goal, Signal, Metric.
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3

Use Goal, Signal, Metric to set measurable goals

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🧠 What’s the goal? Know the impact you are having.

👀 Why is this important? Show yourself how your work is contributing to the team’s goals, and the value you have.

“If you can’t measure it, you can’t improve it.” – Peter Drucker

💡 Tip: keep a dedicated journal to consistently track your goals, signals, and metrics.

Instructions

  1. Write down your How might I… in front of you.
    Example: How might I learn from more experienced baristas? Now change it into an action statement with more specifics.
    This is a pale blue rectangular card with black text that reads 'Learn coffee making skills from more experienced baristas.

  2. Discuss which signals would show that you are going in the right direction. Write them down. Two yellow sticky notes are shown. The first note says 'Receiving positive feedback from senior baristas on their technique,' and the second note reads 'Getting fewer customer complaints or remakes on the drinks they prepare.

  3. Consider your goals and signals: what metrics could you set that would show you’ve reached your goal? Metrics should be: Who, What and When.
    A teal-colored rectangular card with black text. The card says 'Acquire and practice at least two new coffee making techniques per month. A teal-colored rectangular card with black text that reads 'Achieve a 20% increase in positive customer feedback regarding drink quality within six months

  4. Keep track of your goals, signals and metrics over time; consider sharing them for the entire team to see.

This image illustrates a goal-setting framework with labeled notes connected by arrows indicating progression. The first note is a blue square labeled 'Goal' with a blue rectangle below it stating 'Learn coffee making skills from more experienced baristas.' The second note is a yellow square labeled 'Signal' connected to two yellow rectangles. The first rectangle says 'Receiving positive feedback from senior baristas on their technique,' and the second rectangle says 'Getting fewer customer complaints or remakes on the drinks they prepare.' The third note is a teal square labeled 'Metric' with a teal rectangle below it stating 'Acquire and practice at least two new coffee making techniques per month,' followed by another teal rectangle that reads 'Achieve a 20% increase in positive customer feedback regarding drink quality within six months.' The notes are arranged in a horizontal line against a neutral background.
⬇️ Now that your are done all three tactics, keep all of what you just wrote somewhere for you to see daily to remind you of your capabilities, and to also keep you on track towards your goals.
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📚 Some tips+
  • Set Small, Achievable Goals: Break down complex tasks into smaller, manageable steps and set goals that can be realistically achieved in a short time. Celebrate these small victories to build confidence and create a positive reinforcement loop.
  • Seek Constructive Feedback: Regularly ask for feedback from both colleagues and customers. This will not only provide insight into areas of improvement but also highlight strengths, which is essential for building self-assurance in one’s abilities.
💭 What next?+

⭐️ Congratulations! You have completed a round of How to boost your confidence at work !
You have celebrated your wins, identified your strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and set measurable goals. Now it is time to start making actions towards these goals, and to keep celebrating yourself daily!

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