透视MPW是一个在线社区，美国商界内外的大咖会在这里及时分享与职业和领导力有关的问题。今天的问题是：在如何在职场中树立信心？以下回答来自对美林财富管理公司顾问战略与开发主管谢利·利特尔的采访。

工作16年多后，我学到的经验是：职场中任何场合都保持信心没有秘诀。很多时候，我们会受制于潜在的偏见或者观念，自我设限，结果事与愿违。

一直有人告诉我们，想顺利成长事业有成，关键得自信，要相信自己的能力、潜质和内心的声音。但是怎样找到自信并逐渐树立？

树立自信需要自我激励，专注于职业成长的每一步，而且要勤加练习，在身边寻求多种支持，清楚自己话语权多大。

在金融服务业工作，要收获这份自信可不能把眼光局限于女性身份和个人背景，关键是让自己成为更强大、更优秀的团队成员，甚至团队领袖。以下是我这些年积累的经验教训，希望能帮助你在艰苦处境中树立信心。

努力做出自信的样子

树立信心要体现在行动中，先从小事做起。如果我们从很多小处着手，表现出自信，比如讲话大声些，说话时保持和对方的眼神交流，举止端庄，表达观点时就会自信得多。

找人经常测试下会特别有帮助，找导师、朋友或外部专业人士都好。这样一来，你就能更清楚地了解自己怎样与他人相处，以及哪里可以改进（因为总是有成长和改善空间的）。

提高存在感

我吸取的一个重要教训是，慢慢增加存在感很重要。假如你是职场新人，或者还没有信心，不妨从小处着手，比如开会时坐在前排，找机会提问。等到能做演示或者能主持团队讨论后，就算实现目标了。然后继续寻找关注度高的机会，比如出席研讨会。

经历这样的磨练，你会赢得一些常人容易忽视的小战绩，比如在项目中体现很强的领导才能，或者在会议上自信地发表意见。随着事业逐步发展，你会发现迈向成功的道路更具可持续性，也更稳健。

在不熟悉的环境寻求指导

在人力资源领域浸淫多年，我发现工作环境多样化非常有价值。如果身边有许多才华横溢的人，各自有不同的视角和职业生涯，为什么要非要找和自己类似的人讨论？求教和提供指导都要找跟自己截然不同的人。如果对方给不是根据自己的职场经历刻板传授，你会学到更多，进步也会快得多。于我而言，给80后或者90后提建议会让我深入了解年轻人的兴趣、爱好，也有机会与他们接触，我从中也扩展了视野，学到了新观点和技能，日常生活中点滴进步。

今时今日，有不同的看法经常意味着实力和优势。无论是因为性别、背景还是技能所致，请把握自身独到的观点和特别的才能，要有信心这些会助你成功。（财富中文网）

译者：Pessy

审校：夏林

MPW Insiders is an online community where the biggest names in business and beyond answer timely career and leadership questions. Today’s answer for: How can women build confidence in a male-dominated workplace? is based on an interview with Cheri Lytle, head of advisor strategy and development at Merrill Lynch Wealth Management.

After 16-plus years of working, here’s what I’ve learned: there isn’t one magic solution to attaining confidence in any circumstance or workplace setting. In many situations, we may actually stand in our own way by giving in to potential biases or perceptions that move us in the opposite direction.

Yet, to grow and succeed at work, we’re all told that confidence — in our own ability, potential and voice — is key. But how do you find and build it?

Building confidence requires being your own advocate and focusing on individual steps you can take to grow professionally. It also takes practice, having a diverse support system around you and knowing the value of your own voice.

Achieving confidence while working in the financial services field required looking beyond my gender and background, and focusing on what would make me a stronger and better team member and leader. So here are a few lessons I have learned over the years to build your confidence in the toughest of situations.

Practice confidence.

Building confidence is what you practice — and it starts with small steps. If we practice confidence in small ways — speaking louder, sustaining eye contact, having a firm posture — we often feel much more confident in the ideas we’re relaying.

It’s also extremely helpful to find someone to regularly test these skills out with — whether a mentor, friend, or outside specialist — so you can get a window into how you’re coming across to others, and where there’s room to improve (because there is always room to improve and grow).

Be visible.

One key lesson I learned is that it’s important to make yourself visible in gradual ways. If you are just starting out in the workforce or don’t have the confidence yet, start out small — sit up front in a meeting and find opportunities to ask questions. Graduate from there to making a presentation or leading a team discussion. From there, set your sights on high visibility opportunities like participating on a panel.

In that vein, reward yourself for the little victories that are easy to overlook, such as strong leadership on a project or confident delivery in a meeting. Taking a step-by-step approach to your career growth will give you a stronger and more sustainable path to success.

Seek guidance in unfamiliar places.

After working in human resources for years, I’ve come to learn the value of having a diverse workforce. With so many talented people out there who have different perspectives and career tracks — why seek out someone just like you? Find people completely different from you to mentor and seek mentorship from. You will learn and grow so much more from someone who doesn’t lead you in the same path they had. For me, working on a millennial counsel, which was developed to provide insight into the interests, preferences, and approach of the generation, has been eye-opening, and has given me new insights and skills I can use to improve in my own day-to-day.

Today, having a different opinion can be such a huge strength and advantage. Whether it’s your gender, background or skills, take advantage of the unique point of view and capabilities you have, and be confident that it will help you succeed.