People probably think of you more positively than you think of yourself. A recent article on the Psychology Today website discusses this phenomenon and its potential implications for managers and business owners.

The article cites a study that found that people tend to view others more positively than they view themselves. This is likely because you are your own harshest critics and you often focus on your flaws. As a result, you may underestimate how other people see us. This has important implications for those in leadership positions. If you don’t believe in yourself, it can be difficult to inspire others to do their best work. You need to be confident and optimistic if you want to lead others effectively.

One suggestion is to focus on your strengths rather than your weaknesses. Another suggestion is to practice self-compassion. When you make a mistake, be kind to yourself and learn from the experience.  Self-confidence is an important quality for any leader, but it is especially important in today’s uncertain world. Leaders need to be positive and optimistic, even when things are tough. If you can learn to like and believe in yourself, you will be better equipped to lead others through challenging times.

When meeting someone for the first time, it is important to be aware of their body language and to act in a way that makes them feel comfortable. It is also important to be genuine and authentic in one’s interactions, as this will make others more likely to like and trust you.

Negative self-talk can lead to employees feeling insecure and anxious, while positive self-talk can lead to employees feeling empowered and motivated. Managers should also be mindful of the way they deliver feedback. Giving feedback in a way that focuses on the employee’s strengths rather than their weaknesses will be more motivating and encourage them to continue growing and developing their skills. By paying attention to both positive and negative feedback, you can learn from both kinds of information. And by focusing on your strengths rather than your weaknesses, you can increase your self-confidence and improve your relationships with others.

Find out more in the original article here:  https://www-psychologytoday-com.cdn.ampproject.org/c/s/www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/happy-trails/202209/why-people-probably-you-more-you-think?amp

This article summary was created by Eleanor Shakiba

Eleanor is a leadership trainer, success coach and people skills expert. She helps managers and business owners build thriving teams and organisations, using tools from Positive Psychology. She's trained more than 60,000 people during her career as a corporate trainer and professional development consultant. Her mission is inspiring talented people to become leaders who make a difference. 

Are your feelings of self-consciousness holding you back from reaching your potential as a manager, business owner, or supervisor? If so, this article from the Bustle provides seven helpful tips on how to stop feeling self-conscious and take the necessary steps for professional success.

The article offers an important reminder that we all feel self-conscious at times. It’s normal and completely understandable that we may be hesitant to take risks or put ourselves out there—after all, it can be intimidating knowing that our successes and failures are visible to others. Thankfully, this gives us practical advice on how to set aside our insecurities and focus on genuine growth instead.

The article discusses seven tips for overcoming feelings of self-consciousness:

• practice mindfulness
• have clear goals
• build confidence through small successes
• focus on others’ needs
• limit social media activity
• don’t compare yourself with others
• remind yourself why you’re doing it

These are all key elements of effective leadership. Mindfulness allows leaders to remain aware of their surroundings while also staying grounded in their own purpose; having clear goals helps them stay motivated even when things get tough; building confidence through small successes is essential for increasing the morale of those around them; focusing on the needs of their team members facilitates strong interpersonal relationships; limiting their use of social media encourages them to practice responsible digital citisenship habits; refraining from comparing themselves with others prevents them from becoming discouraged by unrealistic standards of success or comparisonitis–the habit of comparing one’s abilities and achievements with those around them–and reminding themselves why they’re doing something reinforces their dedication to the cause.

By following each of these tips in turn, managers, business owners, and supervisors can develop the mental strength needed to lead confidently without feeling the need to constantly second guess themselves.

This article provides valuable insight into how managers, business owners, and supervisors can achieve success despite feeling self-conscious about their skillset at times. By taking each tip into consideration—from practicing mindfulness to availing oneself of expert guidance—individuals can become better leaders who cultivate lasting relationships with those around them instead of allowing fears about failing keep them from reaching their true potential.

Find out more in the original article here: https://www.bustle.com/articles/143401-7-tips-on-how-to-stop-feeling-self-conscious

This article summary was created by Eleanor Shakiba

Eleanor is a leadership trainer, success coach and people skills expert. She helps managers and business owners build thriving teams and organisations, using tools from Positive Psychology. She's trained more than 60,000 people during her career as a corporate trainer and professional development consultant. Her mission is inspiring talented people to become leaders who make a difference. 

Self-esteem impacts almost every aspect of your life, including your confidence and motivation. Yet, people haven’t always worried about their self-esteem. The idea that your happiness and performance are linked to your self-esteem is a relatively recent concept, but it’s an important one to understand.

When did we become so obsessed with self-esteem? According to an in-depth article from Belinda Drummond on the work of Glynn Harrison, the modern self-esteem movement started in the 1960s. Harrison explains in his book The Big Ego Trip that the ’60s led to a shift from prioritising the needs of others to focusing on your own happiness.

This period also marked the rise of psychology as a scientific discipline. Psychologists could use self-esteem to compare and analyse the results of their research. Self-esteem gave psychology a way to achieve greater credibility. Society embraced the idea of helping oneself before trying to help others. The concept of putting others first became less desirable.

Self-esteem was the focus of the work for many leading psychologists of the 1970s. As the decades wore on, self-esteem and psychology became part of popular culture. However, Harrison also points out that the concept of self-esteem is not evidence-based. It’s also very fluid. Your self-esteem may go up or down depending on how your day goes, making self-worth a more vital part of your wellbeing.

Self-worth allows you to accept that you’re a valuable human being, providing a stable base for building more self-esteem. Based on Harrison’s research, modern psychology is closely connected to the exploration of self-esteem. Both are now a much more integral part of how we perceive ourselves and the world around us. Read the original article here.

So, why does self-esteem matter? Your self-esteem influences your happiness, wellbeing, and confidence. As a confidence coach, I’ve also seen how a lack of self-esteem tends to sink motivation. If you don’t believe in yourself, you’re less likely to maintain your motivation during a challenging task. You may feel that you don’t deserve success or that success is beyond your reach.

Low self-esteem often stems from fear. You may fear criticism, failure, rejection, or embarrassment. Neuro-linguistic programming gives you the tools to manage your fear by reframing your inner dialogue. You can learn how to use self-compassion to give yourself stable self-worth, instead of focusing on your self-esteem.

The self-esteem movement came to life in the 1960s and remains an important part of modern psychology. Increasing your self-esteem could unlock your full potential. If you currently lack self-esteem or feel like an imposter in the workplace, it’s time to explore the right solution. Learn how to beat imposter syndrome with my one-to-one coaching or online courses at https://thinklearnsucceed.com.au.