Enhancing Business Confidence: How To Trust Your Approach & Acknowledge Your Worth

Confidence — it’s essential to good leadership. 

When you recognize your value, you not only empower yourself, but all those around you! You inspire them to feel good about who they are and what they do, and you motivate them to join you in making a meaningful impact. But when you begin to doubt yourself and lose sight of who you are, you’re unable to tap into the full value you can offer. 

Self-doubt is inevitable, especially in the thick of trying times such as, say, a modern pandemic. But it’s not incurable, and learning how to recenter yourself and reinforce your confidence is the best solution.

We’ve invited expert panelists Deirdre Breakenridge @dbreakenridge and Melanie Benson @melcoach to share their advice on how to trust in yourself and build your business confidence, so you can fend off self-doubt and become the leader that you want to be.

Missed the Tweet Chat? Here’s a recap:

Q1. Confidence is like a muscle — build it, flex it, & put it to work! What can professionals do to build self-confidence so they can trust their decision-making process? What practices help you get in touch with your instincts so you can more easily trust your gut?

Deirdre Breakenridge: A good start is to trust yourself. Doesn’t come easy, but by learning from experiences, you can rely on intuition to make the right decision. Taking yourself back to similar situations where you successfully mastered your gut-feeling. Try to avoid unproductive conversations; the ones NOT meant as helpful criticism; they will drain your energy. Time to shift your energy and focus on the positive around you. Don’t be so quick to believe your inner critic. It’s time to start questioning that little voice in your head and to squash all of the self-imposed negative chatter.

Melanie Benson: Do tasks in your #business Superpower every day. When we are growing, we spend a lot of time outside our comfort zone. Doing something you thrive doing boosts [your self-confidence].

Q2. Discuss: Whether you think you can or think you can’t, you're right. Agree or disagree? What can professionals do to combat self-limiting beliefs? 

Deirdre Breakenridge: Realize that a belief is just that … a belief. You can combat self-limiting beliefs by realizing they are not truths, and they're formed based on the influence and bias around us. When we believe we can't do something we spend a lot of time convincing ourselves we're right and we can't do it. We should be convincing ourselves of ways we CAN do it! If you can recognize a self-limiting belief then challenge it and try on a different belief and/or take a different action. Be kind to yourself; realize it takes time to form a belief and it may take time to shift from those self-limiting ones. Just take those steps to start.

Melanie Benson: Our beliefs have a huge impact over decisions, which influence our action. When we convince ourselves we can't, we focus on all the reasons it won't work (then don't pursue.) But you can focus on why it COULD work! 

Q3.  Is your inner-GPS turned on? How would you describe the workings of your inner-GPS? How can you improve your inner GPS and use it to guide your decision-making? 

Deirdre Breakenridge: My inner GPS is always on ... the key is to make sure I'm tuned into it. I'm getting better at the calm and quiet that allows me to tap into this powerful guidance system. You can improve your inner GPS by recognizing an initial reaction and what your gut is telling you. Your initial reaction is a gut instinct speaking up, and it could be guiding you to be a part of something new and exciting.

Melanie Benson: My innerGPS is a feeling -- even if I can't explain why I'm getting a NO or WAIT, I trust it. If it feels constricting, I explore what I would need to feel expansive. Helps me avert over commitment & disasters. 

Q4. Lead the way with what’s most important because showing what you value means focusing on what’s important. How can a leader learn to prioritize better? How do you prioritize when everything is important? What tips are most helpful for you with this?

Deirdre Breakenridge: The process to prioritize begins with learning a powerful word …it is “NO.” When it comes to priorities, you have to be true to yourself. You only have so much time in a day, so make it meaningful and fulfilling.

Melanie Benson: Priorities are my compass. When I've got too many I use the "Delegate, Defer, Delete" method and usually I'll discover I'm holding on to something someone else could do for me. Or having FOMO.

Evan Wyk (@evanwyk) Brand & Business Deviser: Being present in what is happening, can very much help to put the list of top topics in order. If the mind is here & there & everywhere, it’s difficult to pinpoint principals. Best practice: SHUT OUT whatever is distracting you. Be in the Know by being in the Now.

Q5.  Not all communication is verbal. What non-verbal cues help demonstrate confidence? What are some non-verbal communication tips and practices to help you build trust and command presence?

Deirdre Breakenridge: Here's one ... Use your hands to speak, with palms up. Palms up signals trust, confidence and transparency. Try this ... Make eye contact with your audience. When speaking whether a large group or a smaller one, or even one-on-one, be sure that you’re not looking down or around when engaging directly. Too much eye movement or no eye contact = no trust!

Melanie Benson: I find that consistency of message, presence and kindness is one way my community builds rapport & connection with me. Can't wait to hear others answer.

Q6. When you believe in yourself and know your worth, you can create greater value for others in your organization and in your life. What's your advice for professionals who want to show the most value to the people they serve?

Deirdre Breakenridge: Take time to recognize your own business/leadership personality and then figure out how other personalities around you can complement your approach … or better yet, you can enhance theirs!

Melanie Benson: Care about people first, results second. Our team, our clients and our community can feel when you make them a "number" instead of a human with real needs. Profit grows when people feel valued.

Evan Wyk: It’s about OTHERS, it’s not about You. Make sure your intentions are honest & respectful. Let those you are with FEEL how much you CARE - not only about, but FOR, them. The more we give to others the more we receive.

Q7. Where do you go for a healthy dose of increased self-confidence? What resources / media do you turn towards when you need a confidence refill? Whose advice resonates the most with you? What makes you feel like you’re on top of the world and how do you access that feeling when you need it most? 

Deirdre Breakenridge: I turn to books on energy, healing, the science of the brain, and learning new topics (outside of business) to help to boost my confidence and knowledge. Even though there's no shortage of resources and media to help, try getting quiet and calm and then looking within (rather than externally) for confidence and strength.

Melanie Benson: I often tap into this healthy dose of confidence when coaching clients or in my #podcasting community. Love the collaborative energy! Or a nice hike in the Malibu hills works too.

We hope that these tips help you on your way to growing more confident in yourself. Remember that it’s not a destination, it’s a journey— and a life-long one at that! It’s worth all of the time and the effort, because when you recognize your own power, you’re invincible. 

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