Want To Establish Your Credibility At Work? Start Adopting These 6 Habits

Respect has to be earned. Everyone aspires to be respected and admired at work, but few know how to make themselves taken seriously. If you feel like you are not being taken seriously by your coworkers or your boss, here are a few habits to stick by.

Respect Your Coworkers

Frist thing first, you can’t gain respect without giving it first. Start treating everyone at work with utmost courtesy and politeness; all the way from your CEO down to the janitor. Even if you have to let someone go or tell a teammate that their performance is below the par, make sure you sound considerate and don’t hurt their feelings. . Even though your opinions may differ from your coworkers, but how you choose to display your disagreement is what makes you different. People can forget your actions, they can even forgive your words, but one thing they will always remember is how you made them feel

Be willing To Learn

Nobody is a know it all, so don’t pretend to be one. In order to grow, you need to be constantly mindful of your limitations and be ready to address them. If you are stuck in a rut, don’t hesitate to ask others for help. When others see that you are nimble in your approach, they will be more willing to lend you a helping hand and collaborate with you. The important thing is to introspect and look for areas within yourself that need improvement. This humility goes a long way in convincing your coworkers of your worth.

Check Your Body Language

An unprofessional body language can put all your efforts down the drain. Our body language and the tone of our voice play a vital role in getting the message across in face-to-face conversations. The right body language makes you seem more thoughtful, more put together, and more confident in yourself. For instance, you should always maintain an erect posture at work and sit straight. While conversing with co-workers, maintain just the right amount of eye contact; enough to show that you are interested without creeping them out. Using appropriate hand gestures can also help you cement the credibility of your words. It’s also important to keep your hands on the table during meetings and refrain from fidgeting. Practice a firm and steady handshake, and so forth.

Dress For Success

We may think that appearances are not skin deep, but unfortunately we are still stuck in a society that ranks our professional image on how well we dress up, When you don’t fit it, it can be hard to feel welcomed and accepted. Garner an understanding of your company culture and use the opportunity to demonstrate your respect through your appearance. In any case, you should go to work in washed and ironed clothes that actually complement your body while keeping in mind the professional and cultural norms. Don’t over accessorize, since it is better to look classy and chic if you want to be taken seriously.

Always Prepare in Advance

Whether it’s for an impotent client pitch or an early morning sprint meeting, it doesn’t hurt to come prepared just a tad bit more than you think you’ll need. Even if you have that speech learned by rote, practice one last time. Do a little more research, mull over that contingency plan one last time, and proof that project brief one more time. If you make over-preparation a habit, you’ll never show up to a meeting underprepared, nobody will ever catch you on guard because you overlooked something, if the client asks an unexpected question, chances are you will have already prepared an answer, and that’s going to make people take you far more seriously.

Assert yourself

Confidence is contagious. You need to believe in yourself before others can too. And when it comes to asserting yourself, show don’t tell. Stop apologizing to people all the time, stop questioning and doubting yourself, and always speak with conviction and a tinge of authority. Even if confidence doesn’t come to you easily, work on yourself. Identify your strengths try to incorporate them into your professional life, treat yourself on the smallest of accomplishments, believe that you can even when things go south, and most importantly, work to overcome your weaknesses so that they don’t hinder your path to success.