We’re all familiar with the research: as women, we are less likely to put ourselves forward for promotions. We expect to know the whole job before starting (and undersell what we already know!). Our comfort zones are, well, comfy. The unknown? Not so much.
Remember when you first rode a bike (or learned to swim, climb, and tie your laces…). You probably watched others, got some advice, mastered trial and error – and did all of this as a five-year-old! Yes, you’re already an expert at learning while doing; you already know how to problem-solve your way to success. You’ve mastered the ability to digest information, put it into practice, reflect and analyse, and then give it another go (*rinse and repeat*).
You’ve heard the term, ‘fake it ’till you make it’? We prefer ‘you got this; it’s ok to learn while doing’. Here are five ways to back yourself to do it:
1. Act with confidence
From superhero poses to documenting your successful track record, there are lots of hacks to boost your confidence. However, researchers have found that the fastest way to build confidence is to make the choice to have it.
2. Focus on the fundamentals
You don’t have to get a PhD on every subject, a broad understanding of lots of things is a superpower in itself. When tackling something new, identify the most critical elements of the role/task/skill – and just focus on those. Managing people for the first time? Master the 1:1 meeting before perfecting the art of delegation.
3. Talk to people who’ve done it
Look through your network (and the networks of your network), and identify a few people that have ‘been there, done that’. You don’t always need to get a formal mentor, sometimes, coffees or LinkedIn conversations with a handful of experienced people will give you everything you need to know about how to master the new role/skill/task.
4. University of Google
Between Medium, Reddit, Linkedin, businesses and experts who openly share their expertise – the internet has you covered. Want to learn how to ‘successfully manage a project’? The 1.3 billion results on Google are there to support your efforts. ‘How to budget and forecast’? 152 million results. You’ll be amazed at how much you can digest in 2-3 hours of focused research.
5. Hone your observation skills
Be the most curious person in the room. During meetings, focus on who’s leading well and why. While at events, analyse the speakers to understand who is nailing body language and delivery. Witness someone diffuse a challenging situation? Spot a person with effortless networking skills? Observe and apply. Eventually the skills you mimic will become your own.
Take action
You know when you’re faced with an interesting opportunity, you can feel it in your gut. Next time one is presented to you (no matter how small it is), practise taking action. If things work out, you’ve learned you can do more than you thought. If they don’t? You now know you can handle more than you think.
Want more examples, insights and tips?
On episode 5 of PowrUp, we share our stories of saying yes to the unknown, and how we built self-believe through three simple tools. Listen now:
Was this helpful?
YesNo
Is Imposter Syndrome holding you back? 🎙 Imposter syndrome describes a feeling most of us have experienced. While there’s no official diagnosis, the phenomenon is a form of self-doubt - and has a very real impact on the 82% of people who experience it. An affliction of…
How to stop doing everyone else’s work Overwhelmed at work? Your delegation skills may be letting you down. Learn five actionable ways to get out of doing and back to leading.
Got a seat at the meeting table? Raise your voice Women have a seat at the meeting table but still struggle to have our voices heard. These well-known techniques will help establish your leadership presence.
Sick of taking on other people's problems? Is solving other people’s problems really an act of care? Women might be great problem-solvers, but we don’t always address the problems this can create.
The tools you need to succeed on your terms
Big insights and small actions, straight to your inbox
