Have you ever had a good idea at work but feel too nervous to bring it up? Being shy is completely normal, but it could close off some opportunities while you’re on the job. Luckily, there are a lot of things you can do so you’re more comfortable speaking up. We’ll start with some easy ways to get more involved in conversations and move on to cover a few simple adjustments so you feel more confident while you’re at work!

3

Make eye contact with your coworkers.

4

Find common ground to bond over.

5

Write down your thoughts before meetings.

  1. Get your ideas on paper so you know what to say. If you have a meeting coming up, look through the agenda to see what topics you’re discussing. Come up with a few questions or ideas and jot them down so you don’t forget them.[5] When you have a chance to speak, try to bring up at least 1 of the points you listed.[6]
    • Even if you don’t say something out loud, you can always pass the ideas you wrote down to your supervisor to see if they want to incorporate them.
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6

Aim to say 1 thing during meetings.

  1. Try to hit this goal so you can actively participate. Even though it may seem tough to speak out, start with a small goal so it’s easy to track how you’re doing. Whenever you’re called into a meeting, look for something that adds value to the conversation and speak up. Even just a few quick statements show that you want to stay involved.[7] Try speaking slightly louder than the other people without shouting so they can hear your voice.[8]
    • Jump on someone else’s idea if you don’t have your own. Chime in with something like, “That’s a good idea,” or “I was thinking of something similar.”[9]
    • Say something when it comes to your head so someone else doesn’t get it out before you can. [10]
    • If you’re not fully confident in your ideas, think about how you can ask it as a question instead. For example, instead of saying, “We should market to younger customers,” you could ask, “What do you think would happen if we started marketing towards our younger customers?”[11]
7

Rehearse presentations beforehand.

  1. Practice saying it out loud so it’s less scary doing it for real. It’s okay to feel a little nervous when you’re presenting in front of your coworkers, but practice makes perfect. Go over the points you want to make out loud and run through them a couple of times so you get used to presenting. If you have time, ask a friend or coworker you feel comfortable around to listen to you so you get experience talking in front of someone else.[12]
    • Try recording yourself and listen to see if there are still places you need to work on more.
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8

Socialize at company events and happy hours.

9

Boost confidence with positive self-talk.

10

Build off of your other strengths.

  1. You’ll realize how much you have to offer even if you’re shy. Write down all of the other work duties that you excel at and show off your skills.[15] List what you value about your job and your work ethic as well so you see all the positive things you bring to the table. When you need to speak up, shift the conversation so it relates to what you’re good at.[16]
    • For example, if you have strong communication with clients, you might spend your time during meetings focusing on customer relationships rather than budgets.
    • If you have strengths around building relationships, you may want to connect with people, maybe it is through a one-on-one setting with someone rather than in a group setting.[17]

Expert Q&A

  • Question
    Can a shy person be successful in a work setting?
    Lindsay Gordon
    Lindsay Gordon
    Career Coach
    Lindsay Gordon is a Career Coach and the Owner of a Life of Options, a career coaching service for analytically minded people. With more than seven years of experience, she specializes in helping individuals who feel aimless or dissatisfied with work make the right choices for themselves. Lindsay has also been featured in many media publications like Business Insider, Thrive Global, and the How to Be Awesome at Your Job podcast. Lindsay holds a BS in Bioengineering from The Franklin W. Olin College of Engineering and a Core Strengths Coaching Certificate from San Francisco State University.
    Lindsay Gordon
    Career Coach
    Expert Answer
    Absolutely! A lot of times, people get a bad rap for being introverted and quiet when these aren't bad qualities at all.
  • Question
    How can I stop being nervous around my coworkers?
    Lindsay Gordon
    Lindsay Gordon
    Career Coach
    Lindsay Gordon is a Career Coach and the Owner of a Life of Options, a career coaching service for analytically minded people. With more than seven years of experience, she specializes in helping individuals who feel aimless or dissatisfied with work make the right choices for themselves. Lindsay has also been featured in many media publications like Business Insider, Thrive Global, and the How to Be Awesome at Your Job podcast. Lindsay holds a BS in Bioengineering from The Franklin W. Olin College of Engineering and a Core Strengths Coaching Certificate from San Francisco State University.
    Lindsay Gordon
    Career Coach
    Expert Answer
    Think about the experience you would like to have in place of that shyness and nervousness. Ask yourself questions like "What is my shyness getting in the way of?" or "What would I ideally like to happen in the situations where I experience that shyness?"
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About This Article

Lindsay Gordon
Co-authored by:
Career Coach
This article was co-authored by Lindsay Gordon and by wikiHow staff writer, Hunter Rising. Lindsay Gordon is a Career Coach and the Owner of a Life of Options, a career coaching service for analytically minded people. With more than seven years of experience, she specializes in helping individuals who feel aimless or dissatisfied with work make the right choices for themselves. Lindsay has also been featured in many media publications like Business Insider, Thrive Global, and the How to Be Awesome at Your Job podcast. Lindsay holds a BS in Bioengineering from The Franklin W. Olin College of Engineering and a Core Strengths Coaching Certificate from San Francisco State University. This article has been viewed 24,199 times.
5 votes - 100%
Co-authors: 6
Updated: September 25, 2021
Views: 24,199
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