How to Overcome Your Career Limiting Inhibitions

Most people have some form of inhibition that stunts their career potential. Whether it is in their ability to speak in front of others, interact with co-workers, or be a team leader on work projects, inhibitions can limit your ability to advance in your company, or to be offered a better job with a competitor. Some people will weakly give the excuse that is just the way they are, and there is nothing they can do about it. They believe that the ability to speak in front of others, to be personable with friends and family, or to be a leader is something they are either born with or they are not. Like all skills that are learned, you can develop ways to overcome your inhibitions. First, you must identify the exact area where you need to improve. Once you have identified that weak area, you must create a plan to strengthen yourself. Next, set a bench mark where you can, on a regular basis, measure your progress from the beginning of your improvement plan to the end of it. Next, put together a schedule that you can adhere to, that will give you the opportunity to practice and improve. Finally, assess your success after you have reached it and then reward yourself. For example, you identify an area you need to improve. Let’s say you want to overcome your inhibition of speaking in front of groups of people during company meetings. The next step is to create a plan volunteering information at upcoming meetings while sitting in your seat. By committing to do research on certain projects, you know you will gain the additional knowledge you will need, so you can verbally share this information at upcoming meetings. Next, create a benchmark where you can begin measuring your progress of comfortably speaking in front of others in team meetings. Some of the things you could measure are your level of nervousness, perspiration, how long you are able to stand in front of the group, and how often you stumble over the words you use. The next step is to put together a schedule to prepare for these meetings on a regular basis. Make sure it is realistic, so you can adhere to it and practice regularly. When you do this, you will make it much easier to succeed. Finally, after several weeks, grade yourself on how well you have improved at speaking in front of the people who have attended these company meetings. And remember to celebrate your progress. That is the best part, because, after all is said and done, you will have earned it. Tom Borg is president of Tom Borg Consulting, LLC. He is a business consultant, speaker, coach and author.