One of the key ways to build your confidence is to practice.
In the workplace, men are often getting the benefit of practice in the workplace on a day to day basis.
The practice of taking risks. The practice of putting themselves in situations where they may feel unconfident or uncomfortable. The practice of projecting to a room of people. The practice of speaking when they are not 100% sure of the answer.
Women hold back.
They often do not put themselves forward or put themselves out there unless they are confident in the first place. This means that they are not getting the practice and they are missing out.
Women need to take more risks and to be more comfortable about taking risks to build their confidence in lower-risk situations and they need to start doing this early.
They also need to be given the opportunities in the first place to be able to take advantage of these opportunities when they arise. When they do arise they should also be encouraged to put themselves forward and to get comfortable with taking these kind of risks.