ASK HR: My fear of speaking is impeding my career growth

I am terrified of speaking up and speaking my mind, which works against me at work. PHOTO | FOTOSEARCH

What you need to know:

  • You need to identify what makes you so afraid to speak.
  • Once you know the cause, you will be clear about what you need do and hopefully invest some time in upskilling yourself.
  • There are many programmes online that can give you good tips and practical ideas on how to listen and speak effectively.

Q. I am intelligent, a reliable worker and an enthusiastic team player, in a nutshell, I believe that I am an asset to the company I work for. Unfortunately, I am terrified of speaking up and speaking my mind, which works against me at work since I am never the first choice whenever my boss assigns responsibilities. How do I get out of my shell?

 

Not many people are open about their weaknesses, but by being aware of what your limitations are, you are already one step ahead. I admire that you know that you are an asset to your employer and that given the right environment, you could do more.

I have come across many employees who are always quick to apportion blame on their career limitations but hardly take a look at their own contributions to their circumstances. The fact that you know what skills you need to maximise your strengths and competencies is therefore commendable.

I will give you some tips on how you could be more confident and gather courage to share your ideas during meetings.

First, you need to identify what makes you so afraid to speak. You use the word terrified, which is quite strong, so it is important to have an idea of what causes this paralysis. Could it be that you are afraid of the shame that comes with saying the wrong thing? Or that you are afraid of being judged for what you say? Or perhaps you do not communicate clearly and are afraid of being seen as unpolished? Once you know the cause, you will be clear about what you need do and hopefully invest some time in upskilling yourself.

Some people like structure and will only find it easy to speak up when they know the content of the situation they dealing with, perhaps you could invest more time in preparing for meetings. You will most likely find an interesting point that your more outspoken colleagues may overlook and that could be the right time to catch your supervisor’s attention. You could also talk to your supervisor after the meeting and share your idea.

A good supervisor will be curious to see what this quiet person has to say and this may open doors for you. You might also want to identify someone you look up to and who seems to excel in this area of your limitation and ask them how they do it and learn from them.

Lastly, of course, there are many programmes online that can give you good tips and practical ideas on how to listen and speak effectively.