3 Ways to Appear Powerful at Work Even When Youre Feeling Insecure

3 Ways to Appear Powerful at Work Even When Youre Feeling Insecure Lets face it There isnt a single woman Ive met, across industries and seniorities and personalities, who doesnt face periods of time where shes just not sure if shes doing a good job or the right thing or if she is really going to be able to keep up the good work.Personally, I swing between times where I am 100% sure I am Gods gift to my office and times where I feel like I need to quit my job and crawl into a cave. And I fully believe these changes in confidence are normal. Or, at least, some variety of confidence is normal. We all have days where we feel insecure, even if were generally confident. And some of us have lapses in confidence mora than others. I dont think thats a flaw or something that can be fixed with a self-help book or a coach or a summer camp its human. Sure, confidence can be increased incrementally, but no one can or should feel 100% sure of themselves all the time. That kind of thinking breeds real jerks who lack empathy and sound judgement skills. Ask anyone whos worked at a startup lumineszenzdiode by a personality.I read a quote on courage (one of the true expression of confidence, in my opinion) that really changed how I thought about the whole thing. In a quick Google search, the quotes attributed to Nelson Mandela, but honestly, I dont trust the internet, so Ill attribute this to our addiction to creating shady quote round-up websites. It goes a little something like this Courage isnt the absence of fear, but the triumph over it.In the same way, to me, confidence isnt an absence of insecurity but the triumph over it. There are ways to project confidence and act powerful without feeling 100% sure of yourself. Here are just a few ways1. Being level.While feeling insecure at work can cause a whole host of emotions, reigning them in and being as level as possible is one way to demonstrate power. If you need to take a second to feel the emotional effects of feeling insec ure, try to get out of the office for a while. When you return, be intentional about acting on even-keeled thought rather than nervousness or turbulent feelings. And, maybe most important, be careful to be kind to everyone, even if youre feeling down.2. Inviting feedback and asking for help, then listening.One of the best ways to appear powerful even when youre feeling less-than-awesome? Asking for feedback on or for help with whatever youre unsure about. No one expects you to be perfect or to feel put together all the time. Being honest with the people around you and asking for help shows them that youre willing to learn and grow to fill those gaps if theyre present and can generate a lot of respect. It reminds them that they dont have to be perfect and that youre open to supporting them, too. Once youve asked for help, actually listen to the advice and feedback you receive. Working others ideas into whatever youre working on can help you feel more secure, sure, but it also shows them that they matter to you. Anyone will follow a leader like that, perfect or not.3. Using strong body language. Even though it feels easy to shrink into yourself when youre having one of those days, using powerful body language is more important then than ever. Standing straight with your arms unfolded can work wonders on how open and confident you look to others. Research done by Harvard and Columbia business schools suggest that holding your body in expansive power poses, like a mountain pose with your legs hips-distance apart, can actually increase testosterone while decreasing cortisol, a stress hormone. This hack can help you feel a bit more confident.Carol Kinsey Goman, an executive coach and leadership consultant, in an article for the American Management Association titled 10 Powerful Body Language Tips, also advocates for using your hands while speaking because it increases the brain activity needed to speak well. She writes Brain imaging has shown that a region called Brocas area, which is important for speech production, is active not only when were talking, but when we wave our hands. Since gesture is integrally linked to speech, gesturing as we talk can actually power up our thinking. So, next time youre nervous, try writing on the white board while you speak or gesturing to a presentation slide. It can actually help carry you along.