{"id":33827,"date":"2021-04-11T15:34:29","date_gmt":"2021-04-11T22:34:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lapost.us\/?p=33827"},"modified":"2021-04-11T15:34:29","modified_gmt":"2021-04-11T22:34:29","slug":"3-tips-for-conquering-self-doubt-at-work","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lapost.us\/?p=33827","title":{"rendered":"3 Tips for Conquering Self-Doubt at Work"},"content":{"rendered":"

Source\uff1a\u00a0https:\/\/insight.kellogg.northwestern.edu\/article\/3-tips-conquer-self-doubt-at-work?utm_source=subscriber&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=pianomailer042021&pnespid=hfZ88_gFVwWNu.KIXO8o.qJ52m46FE1t1qhk1YvW<\/a><\/h3>\n

High achievers often worry they aren\u2019t qualified to weigh in. Here\u2019s how to get past those self-sabotaging thoughts.<\/h3>\n
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BASED ON INSIGHTS FROM<\/div>\n

Ellen Taaffe<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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TRANSLATIONS<\/div>\n

English<\/a><\/p>\n

Portugu\u00eas<\/a><\/p>\n

Espa\u00f1ol<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n

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At some point or another in our careers, pretty much everyone experiences self-doubt.<\/p>\n

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Ironically, feelings of self-doubt can be particularly acute for high achievers, who may hold a nagging suspicion that they aren\u2019t ready for the positions into which they have been promoted. And while a dose of humility can be a helpful guard against hubris, too much self-doubt can be paralyzing.<\/p>\n

Ellen Taaffe<\/a>, a clinical assistant professor of leadership and director of women\u2019s leadership programs at the Kellogg School, spent more than twenty-five years in brand marketing\u2014at PepsiCo, Royal Caribbean, and Whirlpool\u2014and is a member of three corporate boards. Over the course of this career, Taaffe has learned how best to manage her own self-doubt and advise others on how to do the same.<\/p>\n

Here she shares three tips for pushing past your insecurities to act decisively.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Don\u2019t Get Too Comfortable Playing the Observer<\/h2>\n

Self-doubt can manifest itself in many ways. You may dread an upcoming meeting, convinced you will not pull off your presentation. You may get the feeling your comment is landing with a thud as you give it. Or you may walk out of a meeting convinced that you should have come up with ten different answers than the one you gave.<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s a common manifestation that Taaffe sees every day: many high achievers have a perfectionist streak that can make them loath to act without 100 percent certainty, especially in new situations when they perceive they are more likely to misstep. So they hold back, waiting rather than jumping in and learning.<\/p>\n

Perhaps they do not feel qualified to weigh in on a topic. Or they overthink things as they search their mind for that perfect answer. And to be sure, there are times when over-preparation is a smart move. But many times, high achievers operate as if every interaction is high-stakes, when in reality, taking small risks could have much more upside.<\/p>\n

Above all, it helps to avoid getting too comfortable in the role of observer, says Taaffe. A better approach, she says, is launching in as early as possible.<\/p>\n

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\u201cActing early does a couple of things,\u201d Taaffe says. \u201cIt gets you past the \u2018good answers being taken\u2019 issue; and it can be a catalyst for others\u2019 ideas that collectively get the team to a better place. The more you chime in, the more comfortable you will feel the next time.\u201d<\/p>\n

Taaffe has found it helpful to recognize that when you are in transition\u2014settling into a new job or managing others for the first time\u2014you may actually be in a better position to jump into discussions, because you have the greatest opportunity to bring something fresh to the conversation.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe frequently think, \u2018I don\u2019t know this yet,\u2019 instead of \u2018I\u2019m learning here,\u2019 which frees you to ask your best questions and offer your best ideas,\u201d Taaffe says. \u201cIt helps you and the group check assumptions and can lead to an updated way of looking at an opportunity.\u201d<\/p>\n

Taaffe has experienced this herself. A few years ago, she joined a corporate board. After the first year, one of her colleagues gave her some valuable feedback\u2014that they wanted to hear more from her.<\/p>\n

\u201cAt first, I was sort of mad,\u201d she says. \u201cI had told myself that I didn\u2019t want to overplay my hand because I wasn\u2019t a subject-matter expert in all aspects of the business, which is classic self-doubt. But it was fair feedback couched in a way that was positive. It reminded me that they had elected me for the expertise I do have, not because I knew everything. After the next meeting, that colleague commended me for coming out of my shell.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cStaying silent is a self-protection mechanism,\u201d she says, \u201cbut it\u2019s not the best choice.\u201d<\/p>\n

Take a Cue from Those around You<\/h2>\n

For many people, self-doubt stems from a feeling that they are not qualified. But according to Taaffe, this feeling can be overcome, in part by feeding off the confidence and courage of those around you.<\/p>\n

Look for examples in your own organization of individuals who have taken stretch assignments: the person who stepped in last minute to cover for a colleague, but who soon proved adept, for instance, or the person who was promoted to a new role based on the potential that they demonstrated in another, very different one. These assignments show how leaders apply their strengths to new challenges. And far from being rare, examples like this are prevalent in most organizations.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\u201cYou may think of these colleagues as fearless, but in reality, many of them feel the fear and act anyway.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u2014 Ellen Taaffe<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

\u201cYou may think of these colleagues as fearless, but in reality, many of them feel the fear and act anyway,\u201d Taaffe says.<\/p>\n

It is also important to recognize how factors such as gender may shape perceptions of readiness for new responsibilities and stretch assignments.<\/p>\n

\u201cMen tend to\u00a0go for a promotion<\/a>\u00a0or a position with a lot fewer of the skills that are listed on the job posting, whereas women look at those same skills and may think, \u2018I am not ready yet,\u2019\u201d says Taaffe. \u201cIt\u2019s easy to forget that all of us are hired or promoted due to our potential to learn the role versus already being able to do it at an A+ level. If we hold ourselves to a higher bar than others and as a result do not pursue bigger opportunities, we can get left behind, even in roles where we could have developed and excelled.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ditch Diminishing Language<\/h2>\n

On a day-to-day level, Taaffe says, you can project self-confidence by recognizing and minimizing how often you use qualifying language.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was recently on a call where a more junior person was sharing some good work that she had developed,\u201d Taaffe says. \u201cAs she shared her recommendation, no one was responding. She started to speed up, audibly losing confidence before asking \u2018Am I making any sense?\u2019 I thought, Ugh. The pressure, when one is intimidated or doubting themselves, is real. It is easy to get rattled and diminish our contributions and confidence with how we communicate.\u201d<\/p>\n

Taaffe recommends avoiding rhetorical questions or opening qualifiers, because every \u201cDoes that make sense?\u201d or \u201cThis may be a bad idea but\u2026\u201d signals doubt and indicates to listeners that the statement is less worthy of consideration.<\/p>\n

Instead, confirm that your audience is following along using far more confident-sounding open-ended questions, such as \u201cWhat are your thoughts?\u201d or \u201cWhat questions do you have?\u201d<\/p>\n

Taaffe also advises couching your idea in a brainstorming frame such as \u201cWhat could we learn if we did\u2026?\u201d This has the added benefit of starting a dialogue that engages others and asks them to contribute.<\/p>\n

Afterwards, check in with mentors and colleagues for advice about the ways your performance can continue to adjust and adapt.\u201c<\/p>\n

Assuming there\u2019s a level of trust and comfort, you can seek feedback from others on these practices and it can be really helpful,\u201d Taaffe says. \u201cIt can act as encouragement to monitor your own behavior and give you a confidence boost that acts as a kind of permission to jump right in and not hold back.\u201d<\/p>\n

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FEATURED FACULTY<\/div>\n
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Ellen Taaffe<\/a><\/div>\n

Clinical Assistant Professor of Leadership; Director of Women’s Leadership Programs<\/p>\n

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ABOUT THE WRITER<\/div>\n
Fred Schmalz is the business and art editor of Kellogg Insight.<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Source\uff1a\u00a0https:\/\/insight.kellogg.northwestern.edu\/article\/3-tips-conquer-self-doubt-at-work?utm_source=subscriber&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=pianomailer042021&pnespid=hfZ88_gFVwWNu.KIXO8o.qJ52m46FE1t1qhk1YvW High achievers often worry they...<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[9],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-33827","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-opinion"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lapost.us\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/33827","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lapost.us\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lapost.us\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lapost.us\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lapost.us\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=33827"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/lapost.us\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/33827\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":33828,"href":"https:\/\/lapost.us\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/33827\/revisions\/33828"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lapost.us\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=33827"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lapost.us\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=33827"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lapost.us\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=33827"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}