The Power of Environment on Confidence at Work

Ever joined a new company or team and slowly started to feel less confident and less willing to speak up?

Maybe you’ve felt this way in a certain role, at an event, or in a meeting. On the other hand, I hope you’ve also been in places where you felt totally confident to be yourself.

A lot of times, when we start losing confidence at work, we blame ourselves, and that makes things worse. It’s like falling into a bad loop where feeling down about ourselves makes us even less confident.

But, here’s the thing: this experience might be the result of the environment you’re in, and it’s the environment that you need to change, rather than yourself.

In this newsletter, we’re diving into how our growth and the way we express ourselves aren’t just solo projects. We’re heavily influenced by our surroundings, including the people we interact with and the places we spend our time.

How we act, how confident we feel, and how genuine we can be depends a lot on how safe and included we feel in those spaces. And this all circles back to a key idea here: trust.

Trust in a work environment can grow or shrink in subtle ways.

Paul J. Zak, who studies the neuroscience of trust, points out some things that create trust at work. Things like getting recognized for your work, facing challenging yet achievable tasks, having freedom in how you do your job, choosing projects that excite you, knowing what’s going on in the company, building strong relationships, and getting support for both personal and professional growth.

These might not be the first things you think of when it comes to trust at work, but they make a big difference. That’s why sometimes, trust can slip away slowly without us noticing.

So, take a moment to think about your job and whether these trust-building things are happening.

Why does this matter so much?

Because how much we trust where we work affects how well we do, how much we feel we belong, our chances of moving up, the opportunities we get, and how we value ourselves.

It’s important because it affects how many women are given the positions and opportunities they are capable of and feel like they’re reaching their full potential at work.

Does this resonate with you? What’s your experience?

Best wishes,

Natalie

Natalie Shaw
CEO @ OneUpOneDown