Sound Confident

Confidence sells. It sells you. If you’re confident other people will feel they can trust you to do what you say you can; they’ll be inspired to rely on you. Suppose you want to win a tricky pitch at work. If you go in mumbling and looking at your shoes, you’ve given yourself a far harder job than if you start off smiling and speaking clearly. Especially if your competitor is slick and self-confident.

It’s the same with your boss and your colleagues. Come across as shy and unsure of yourself and they won’t be too sure of you either. Confidence is contagious. If you have it, others will feel confident in you.

The way you talk is a huge part of your persona, so here are some quick guidelines for sounding more confident:

• Speak clearly without mumbling or speaking too softly.

• Decide in advance how you’re going to express yourself, so you know what you’re doing when the time comes.

• Practice any tricky conversations in advance, with a friend or in front of a mirror.

• Use positive language: not “I think I should be able to,” but “Yes, I can do that.”

And remember, after you’re in any kind of meeting, you should be thinking about the person you’re with, not about yourself. So at the first sign of self-consciousness, give yourself a swift talking to and remind yourself to focus on your companion.