Working with Confidence Soft Skills Training for Women in Construction

Learning Objectives Understand where confidence comes from and where it lies Know what is good for you and do it Learn how you can keep confident, even when things get tough Understand how your confidence helps in all sorts of situations and in dealing with all type of people “We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence then, is not an act but a habit…” Aristotle

Where confidence comes from… We are all born with self-confidence Our natural confidence is there inside us at all times Lost confidence is not lost for ever True confidence begins on the inside There is a circle of confidence

Women & Confidence Describe your strong self Describe your flaws

Your confidence Before you start to improve your confidence, it is important to know where you are now Confidence can range from – ARROGANCE, CONFIDENCE, SELF-DOUBT, LOW SELF –ESTEEM Irrespective your starting point, you can develop your confidence

Knowing what is good for you & doing it… How are you looking after you? Know your strengths Develop your “interdependence” Develop your “assertiveness”

Assertiveness - what is it all about? Philosophy of personal responsibility and an awareness of the rights of others: Being honest with yourself and others Having the ability to say what you want, need or feel, but not at the expense of others Having confidence in yourself and being positive, whilst still understanding other peoples’ views Having self-respect and respect for the others

Know your rights & defend them  Be you  Be here  Be treated with respect  Be treated equally  Be consulted and involved  Express your own perspective and opinions  Make your own decisions  Ask questions  Be heard  Speak without being dependent on the approval of others  Say “NO”  Disagree  Not know everything You have the right to:

Keeping confident… Keep near people with warm qualities and positivity! Avoid spending too much time around people with cold qualities and negativity! Overcome the fear of failure and the fear of success!

How to avoid losing self-esteem Avoid comparison Don’t be obsessed with the approval of others Embrace change Let go of unrealistic expectations Remember you don’t need to be always in control Let go of resentments Acknowledge you are not all things to all people Define your own vision of success

Dealing with all “sorts”…. Give others the benefit Get involved/don’t drift Express your expectations Deal with things as a one off Don’t be surprised if other people are negative Check your attitudes to improve our results

More ideas… Think of others as equals - don’t look down and don’t look up in awe Practice positive energy - usually energy is linked to a purpose Think generous thoughts - by imagining positive traits in the other person and behaving as if they were good, they can pick this up from your micro signals

Networking with confidence

Learning objectives Demonstrate the value of networking Learn some of the skills that will help support your network Learn techniques to help you feel more confident to establish networks

Why is networking vital today? Everyday we are bombarded with messages from the media in all sorts of ways. This also applies to purchasing goods/services and recruiting people. Relationships usually triumph over the cold call and hard sell approach.

Advantages of networking Improve your bank of contacts Widen your knowledge Be someone worth knowing Identify job/social opportunities Increase your confidence Improve your job performance Be considered an expert or highly knowledgeable

Networking for future success Networking doesn’t just mean attending a business related meeting It is a strategy for building your personal brand or profile It supports your future success both at professional and personal level

Build a personal profile? Why? Buy people Buy on trust first, products/services second Over time they come to know what you do Understand who you are See you as trustworthy/credible People:

What interpersonal skills do we need? Approach people Listening skills - including memorising their names etc. Information - what do they need from me and what do I need from them? Clarify our understanding of who they are Engage with people Make an impression

How do we approach? Be interested, curious, smile and etc. Elevator speech Ask great questions Here are some examples: How did you get started in this industry/business and etc. What do you enjoy most in your work? What changes have been happening in your business lately? What do we say?

Suggestions to be a good networker Invest time in your network - be proactive Be a giver Attend as many networking events as you consider necessary and stay focused on the important ones Identify the gaps in your network - make sure that you have a good range of contacts that will benefit those in your network Be careful not to promise something that you can’t or won’t deliver Be patient - your network takes time to build

Think about Why should anyone want to remember you? What’s in it for them? How can you earn a place in their lives? How trustworthy are you? Do you make a point of talking well about others? Are people justified in thinking of you as a particular expert? How well does your reputation precede you?

HIGH HEELS PROJECT Leonardo da Vinci – Transfer of Innovation BG1-LEO C OPYRIGHT © Copyright 2013 High Heels Consortium Consisting of: BULGARIAN CONSTRUCTION CHAMBER (BG) CONSTRUCTION TRAINING CENTER (BG) AR CI PROFESSIONAL CENTRE Ltd (BG) MILITOS EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES &SERVICES (GR) KNOWL (GR) RNDO Ltd (CY) STEJAR CENTER OF RESEARCH, DEVELOPMENT & EXCELLENCE (RO) This document may not be copied, reproduced, or modified in whole or in part for any purpose without written permission from the High Heels Consortium. In addition an acknowledgement of the authors of the document and all applicable portions of the copyright notice must be clearly referenced. All rights reserved. This project has been funded with support from the European Commission. This publication [communication] reflects the views only of the author, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein. Transferring the University of Salford’s award winning training programme: “‘Women and Work: Sector Pathways Initiative” (2010)