The core purpose of any (good) charity is to solve a problem. Solving a problem means doing things differently. It means making change happen.
If you work or volunteer for a charity the core of your role is about driving change. And making change happen can be hard.
We all have times when we feel uncertain or lack confidence, and we feel this even more acutely when we are deliberately driving change. This means that innovation within the charity sector is a hotbed for crashes of confidence.
Successful innovators are the ones that actively work on their own confidence as an integral part of their innovation process. They develop their processes for innovation based on small tests and quick learning which in turn manages risk of failure and builds confidence.
Here are eight tips stolen from the most successful innovators we know that will help you build your confidence for innovation.
1. Remember you are already great
Take a moment every day to reflect on your achievements. What are you pleased with? What progress have you made? Create a confidence diary and note them down. Keep writing down your achievements as you accomplish more. Look at this list regularly. When you have a moment of low confidence refer back to this list to boost your confidence back up.
2. Tell your inner critic to be quiet
We all have an inner critic. That niggling voice that tells us we are rubbish or we will get found out. Confidence is about learning to manage those thoughts that don’t necessarily represent objective reality. When your inner critic pipes up reaffirm to yourself;
3. Find a mentor
There will be others that have been through what you are going through. You can learn from them and this will help build your confidence. Seek them out.
4. Stretch your comfort zone
Take small steps that stretch you outside of your comfort zone. You know when you are stretching yourself because it will feel a bit uncomfortable, for example, if your first step was to present to your team, can you now stretch to the next step to present to a team that you don’t know well. Gradually ease yourself out of your comfort zone each time. This will help to grow your confidence and over time increase your comfort zone to take on braver and bolder activities.
5. Surround yourself with confident companions
Hang out with people who help boost your confidence. Find trusted companions and critical friends that will both challenge and support you.
6. Look after yourself
Your health and wellbeing has a positive effect on your mood, effectiveness and confidence. Take regular exercise and choose a nutritious diet.
7. Fake it until you make it
When you are not feeling confident pretend that you are. Stand tall, keep your shoulders back, your spine straight, and your chin high. Breathe slowly and deeply. When you look like a confident person on the outside, you'll be approached as one by the world around you. You will fool other people and you'll fool yourself too.
8. Its OK to ask for help
It is not weakness not to know the answer, it is a strength to be honest about your limitations. Ask other people for help. The worst that can happen is that someone says no, and then you can just ask someone else.
If you are interested in learning more about building your confidence for innovation come join me in my ‘How to innovate with confidence’ session on November 22, 2016 at Toronto AFP Congress. I’d love to meet you there!
Lucy Gower is a trainer and coach specialising in innovation. She led the first innovation team at UK children’s charity NSPCC and it was there that Lucy realized that you can have the best ideas, processes and technology, but if you don’t have the right people working together then even the best ideas will fail. Since leaving the NSPCC in 2012 Lucy has worked with over 50 organisations including Amnesty, Cystic Fibrosis Trust, Nesta, The Children’s Society and Greenpeace.
Lucy is also author of The Innovation Workout, a blogger and conference speaker, and is often seen on Twitter @lucyinnovation
