Building Confidence in Your Authoritative Self
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1Embrace the power of self-confidence. All your efforts to appear more authoritative will likely fall short if you lack essential self-confidence. You have to believe you can wield authority, and deserve to have it, in order to express and use it effectively. While it is true that some people are naturally more confident than others, self-confidence is also a perspective that can be nurtured and developed.
- How to Build Self Confidence offers an extensive list of ideas for becoming a more confident person. Its major subjects include:
- Establishing a positive attitude.
- Dealing with your emotions effectively.
- Taking care of yourself — mind, body, and spirit.
- Setting your goals.
- Getting help when you need it.
- How to Build Self Confidence offers an extensive list of ideas for becoming a more confident person. Its major subjects include:
Talk in a deep, steady voice and finish each sentence.
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Being confident and sounding confident are not always one and the same. Some people may be bursting with confidence in their authority, and yet the way they speak gives away this entire advantage. Once you feel authoritative, make sure you sound that way as well.[11]
- Don’t go to ridiculous lengths to deepen your voice, but adding just a bit more depth can help make what you say sound more authoritative.
- Practice not allowing your voice to trail off at the end of a sentence. Some people tend to raise their voice inflection at the end of every sentence, making even declarative statements sound like questions. Don’t let it seem like you doubt what you’re saying.[12]
Communicating with Authority
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1Face people and make eye contact. Your mother may have told you it was good manners to look other people in the eyes while speaking to them, but it also helps attach an additional air of confidence to your words. Like an animal asserting authority in the wild, stand tall and directly face those whom you intend to lead.[9][10]- If you are giving a presentation, for example, assume the “power position” at the start — stand in front of the podium, directly facing the audience and making eye contact throughout the room. If you are going through slides, don’t get caught facing the screen or standing perpendicular to both screen and audience the whole time. Face the people and look at them whenever possible.
- You don’t need to intensely stare at someone while speaking to him/her. But return your gaze regularly to the person, and try not to look down at all while talking.
Make use of silence
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. Some people feel like silence is a sign of weakness, and want to fill any gaps by talking. Prattling on, however, is more likely to be taken as a lack of seriousness or certainty. Taking time to think through what you want to say, and using pauses and silence for effect while speaking, helps to bestow authority to your speech.
- Always think through what you want to say before speaking. Even when you’re “on the spot,” take a couple seconds to gather your thoughts before you begin. That small period of silence will demonstrate that you are serious about addressing the topic at hand and saying exactly what you mean.[13]
- Practice getting rid of “fillers” like “um,” “uh,” “I think,” etc. Even if you aren’t using them because you’re uncertain of what you want to say, they tend to sound that way. A silent pause is preferable.
- Use “chunking” while speaking — pause for effect between bursts of speech that each emphasize a key point. Give people a chance to soak in what you are saying.
Get on your feet.
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Get on your feet. To appear authoritative, you have to be noticed, and standing almost always makes you more noticeable. Standing makes it easier for you to command the spotlight, the stage, and the attention of those under your leadership.[8]
- If you are looking for a way to gain more authority by appearing more authoritative at work, you may want to try standing at a meeting while others are sitting. This makes you more noticeable and commanding in appearance. See if you can arrive at the perfect time so that you aren’t late but there are no seats left.
- Stand even while you’re talking on the phone. When you sit, you tend to talk in a more reserved, less enthusiastic (and commanding) voice. Standing tends to make you speak with more energy and urgency.