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4. Lack confidence? Address root causes. Not sure how your ideas will be received? Intimidated
when you have to persuade your boss of something? Worried about working in a part of the world
you’ve never experienced before? Everyone can lose confidence under certain circumstances. A little
anxiety is normal. But successful people don’t let it hold them back. When you’re losing confidence,
start by noticing exactly what makes you anxious. Then do something to address the problem. If
you’re not sure of your basic ideas, run a pilot. Get input, ask questions, search for examples of what
has been tried and proven. If asking for your boss’s support makes you tongue-tied, try thinking of
them as a customer who needs what you have to offer. Going to a new country? Get information. Go
online, get a guidebook, talk to someone who has been there. Build your confidence and you will
build your skill in persuading. And when you really need courage, contemplate Eleanor Roosevelt’s
assertion: “You must do the thing you think you cannot do.”

Want to learn more? Take a deep dive…

Blalock, B. (2013, October 15). 10 Steps to executive-level confidence. The Wall Street Journal.
Michaels, S. (2011, August 22). 3 Powerful skills you must have to succeed in sales. Forbes.

5. Ahead of the crowd? Explain your thinking. You may be a trend-spotter. An intuitive decision
maker. A conceptual thinker, comfortable with ambiguity. You can leap to conclusions or set direction
without much data. If so, congratulations! Your agile thinking is needed. But to be credible, you need
to let others in on the secrets. Tell them what information underlies your idea. They need to relate to
it. See the rationale. Understand what inspired you. Can you show others how your vision will help
the business perform better? Describe how it will keep your organization ahead of the competition.
Search for like-minded people who support your thinking. Use data from emerging demographics,
leading-edge product ideas, or industry best practices to bolster your credibility. Explain how your
credentials and experience qualify you as an expert. Share stories of past success. Build a prototype
to show how this could work. Speak in the language of your audience. Fill in the dots. Use data if
others need it, even if you don’t.

6. Poor presenter? Get some training—and relax. Giving a presentation is the greatest human fear,
after dying. To reduce your fear of presenting, eliminate the need to be perfect and instead aim for
being practiced, confident, and engaging. Great presenters are human. They are comfortable
because they know they are imperfect. Unfazed by glitches. Familiar with their material. Connected
with the audience. Prepared but not robotic. Be eager to share your thoughts. Dress well but
comfortably. Breathe and smile. Acquaint yourself with the technology and don’t get flustered when it
acts up—as it often does. Your audience is not a panel of judges scoring your performance, but
interested learners who are on your side. Observe presenters whose style you admire. How do they
keep themselves comfortable and the audience engaged? Browse YouTube to see what works and
what doesn’t. Watch the movie The King’s Speech to learn how George VI worked toward
overcoming his fear. Hire a presentation or media coach to help you get comfortable on a stage,
behind a podium, and on the screen.

7. Can’t get others to see what you see? Draw the complete picture. “Trust me” is not enough to
win over busy people. When things are about to change, people want the full picture. They need to
see the vision and the process for getting there. To know not only what the end game is, but how it
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