1/3/2024 0 Comments Western blot results of fish![]() Instead of speaking up in the boardroom, in front of your most senior colleagues, start by speaking up in smaller meetings with peers to see how it feels. Instead of jumping right into speaking at an industry event, sign up for a public speaking class. But without this mechanism of forcing me into action, I might never have taken the plunge. In fact, speaking without notes ended up being much more effective, making my speaking more natural and authentic. I did just fine, and so did everyone else. I was terrified, as was everyone else in the course, but you know what? It actually worked. Then, after the third or fourth class, we were told to hand over our notes and to speak extemporaneously. In graduate school I took a public speaking class and the professor had us deliver speeches - using notes - every class. Put mechanisms in place that will force you to dive in, and you might discover that what you initially feared isn’t as bad as you thought.įor example, I have a history of being uncomfortable with public speaking. In order to step outside your comfort zone, you have to do it, even if it’s uncomfortable. If you hate public speaking and networking events, but feel slightly more comfortable in small groups, look for opportunities to speak with smaller groups or set up intimate coffee meetings with those you want to network with.įinally, take the plunge. For example, if you’re like me and get queasy talking with big groups during large, noisy settings, find a quiet corner of that setting to talk, or step outside into the hallway or just outside the building. We can often find a way to tweak what we have to do to make it palatable enough to perform by sculpting situations in a way that minimizes discomfort. For many years, I’ve worked with people struggling to step outside their comfort zones at work and in everyday life, and what I’ve found is that we often have much more leeway than we believe to make these tasks feel less loathsome. Recognize these opportunities and take advantage - don’t chalk this variability up to randomness. Or you may have a hard time networking, except when it’s in a really small setting. You might have a hard time making small talk generally, but find it easier if the topic is something you know a lot about. Very few people struggle in every single version of a formidable work situation. If someone else offered you those same excuses about their behavior, would you see these as excuses or legitimate reasons to decline? The answer isn’t always clear, but you’ll never be able to overcome inaction without being honest about your motives in the first place. When you turned down that opportunity to speak at a big industry conference, was it really because you didn’t have the time, or were you scared to step on a stage and present? And when you didn’t confront that coworker who had been undermining you, was it really because you felt he would eventually stop, or was it because you were terrified of conflict? Take an inventory of the excuses you tend to make about avoiding situations outside your comfort zone and ask yourself if they are truly legitimate. How can we as professionals stop building our lives around avoiding these unpleasant, but professionally beneficial, tasks?įirst, be honest with yourself. And without the skill and courage to take the leap, we can miss out on important opportunities for advancement. It’s simply a reality of the world we work in today. As we grow and learn in our jobs and in our careers, we’re constantly faced with situations where we need to adapt our behavior. Who wants to feel anxious when you don’t have to?īut the problem, of course, is that these tasks aren’t just unpleasant they’re also necessary. An easy response to these situations is avoidance. Situations like these - ones that are important professionally, but personally terrifying - are, unfortunately, ubiquitous. Speaking up in meetings would further your reputation at work, but you’re afraid of saying the wrong thing. You want to expand your network, but you’d rather swallow nails than make small talk with strangers. You need to speak in public, but your knees buckle even before you reach the podium. ![]()
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