The Missing Personality Trait That Holds People Back At Work, Even If They're Really Good At Their Job
Ahmed | PexelsYou can be great at your job and still feel like you're not getting anywhere. That's because the missing personality trait that can hold you back at work, even if you're really good at your job, isn't skill or experience; it's confidence. Workplace confidence is a core personality trait that shapes how you show up, how others perceive you, and whether you get recognized for what you bring to the table.
Confidence is what allows you to trust your abilities, speak up, and take ownership of your work without constantly second-guessing yourself. When that trait is underdeveloped, even highly capable people start playing smaller than they should. They hesitate, overthink, and hold back in ways that quietly hinder their growth, not because they aren't good enough, but because they don't fully believe it yet.
When this personality trait is missing, it tends to show up in these 7 career-limiting ways:
1. You constantly compare yourself to everyone else
Lack of workplace confidence is actually quite common. One study explored the significant impact that lower confidence has on working women. The problem can be temporary or situational (e.g., present only in certain situations) or a full-blown case of impostor syndrome, which results in chronic, multidimensional low self-esteem and self-worth.
A lack of confidence makes you frequently compare yourself to and model yourself after others. So you neglect or devalue your personal perspective and the development of your unique strengths and skills.
2. You hold back instead of speaking up
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A 2020 KPMG LLP study estimates that 75 percent of U.S. female executives experience stress from overcoming imposter syndrome at some point. Given statistics like these, it's worth taking a moment to assess whether a lack of self-confidence could be holding you back. A lack of confidence makes you hesitate to voice your opinion or make suggestions for fear you'll appear foolish, incompetent, or inexperienced.
3. You rely too much on reassurance from others
A lack of confidence can present itself in a number of different ways, both emotionally and behaviorally. Furthermore, you might not readily see your feelings and actions as signs of a lack of confidence.
One sign is when you require frequent encouragement and acknowledgment to orient you or validate the work you perform. The American Psychological Association suggested, "People who base their own self-worth on what others think and not on their value as human beings might pay a mental and physical price."
4. You avoid opportunities that could move you forward
It's possible that your assessment of yourself and your competency is influenced by your work environment. First, there's a lack of self-confidence, and then there's a lack of confidence in your supervisors and coworkers. For example, it's your experience that your superiors regularly fail to act upon or even listen to what you say.
Odds are that this kills your confidence because you believe what you do or say won't be noticed or appreciated. Then you avoid certain key responsibilities tied to professional advancement. Do you do this because you question your ability to successfully fulfill these responsibilities?
5. You struggle to make decisions
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Perhaps your actions could arouse ire or disdain from your supervisor or other superiors. Obviously, sentiments such as these could dampen anyone's initiative and self-confidence. You might have relationships that are so disagreeable and intolerable that they taint your overall work experience.
This can ruin your attitude toward yourself, your job, and your profession. Research has found that low confidence can lead to procrastination because you regularly struggle to decide on the appropriate course of action. Alternatively, or in addition, you might worry about making a mistake or failing altogether.
6. You get stuck overanalyzing your work
Stressful and arduous work relationships can challenge your focus, performance, and personal assessment. This can be true even when your core competencies are more than adequate. You might begin to wonder if it's your fault or attributable to the environment.
A lack of confidence makes it difficult to meet deadlines because you compulsively scrutinize your work and make endless revisions. One study suggested there is a "need to openly communicate the risks and challenges associated with the work demands so that employees can appraise these tasks as either challenging or hindrance," which can "increase the chances that employees will complete their work tasks on time."
7. You avoid giving or receiving feedback
A lack of confidence makes you dread giving or receiving feedback, mentoring others, or managing the performance of direct reports. This alone could be sufficient to hold you back, depending on the job and circumstances. You may not be marginalized, overlooked for promotion, demoted, or fired. But almost certainly, a lack of confidence will diminish your productivity and performance.
Many factors can undermine your confidence at work, from past experiences to the environment you're in. But the real changes happen when you start recognizing confidence for what it is: not just a feeling, but a personality trait you can strengthen over time.
Because no matter how talented or capable you are, your career will only move as far as your confidence allows you to show up. And once you start building that trait, you start getting seen, trusted, and chosen for more.
Patricia Bonnard, Ph.D., ACC, is a certified International Coaching Federation (ICF) leadership coach and a certified Martha Beck life coach.
