Could Networking Solve The Confidence Gap?

How would you rate your confidence levels? Are you a social butterfly, or would you rather blend into the background? Social science has proven that women are less self-assured than men who are far more likely to succeed, and expel?higher levels of confidence. The confidence gap stems back to our own disbelief of self-worth which is fuelled by broken ambition and constant strife between the battle of the sexes. Research carried out by?Wiebke Bleidorn, Ph.D., from the University of California found that the confidence gap is a universal problem, but extends far beyond personal confidence. The project was carried out over eight years in over 48 countries, and commenting to Forbes about her results, Bleidorn said that?there is ” a remarkable degree of similarity across cultures” when it comes to confidence levels, regardless of race or background. A lack of confidence can have a damaging effect?on a woman’s professional career, and it has been proven that we settle for less in our place of work. As a whole, our career trajectories fall short to those of men; and this ultimately?falls back to how we envision ourselves and where we place ourselves in the world.

I’ve lost my confidence, what can I do to regain it?

You can network. Networking is perhaps the fastest and most economically viable way to meet new, like-minded women who are chasing the same dream as you. Networking allows women to support and guide one another. Right now, there are loads of lovely and uplifting ideas, projects, and organisations arising around the world with the same common algorithm; to boost female confidence and morale. We’re more active than ever in our plight to bridge this gap, and women are now empowering not only themselves, but others around them to push themselves further, achieve higher goals, and to live a successful and happy life. Knowledge is always best when shared, so why not give networking a go and see how you could improve your attitude and personal poise. Here are three networking ideas that you can take part in to help you re-boot your confidence.

1.??Girl Crew is just one brilliant example of how women are more driven than ever to support and uplift one another. What started as a Facebook group with 100 members in Dublin has now become a global phenomenon with over 20,000 active members and for women to connect, meet, collaborate, or to simply make friends.

2.If Facebook isn’t your thing then how about meeting other women face-to-face in a friendly and safe environment? Why not come to the next instalment of the IMAGE Networking Breakfast? (click here for a peep at our last one).

3.One company believes their app can help to inject confidence into the lives of women. But is this something that an app can solve? BumbleBIZZ, developed by the co-founder of Tinder Whitney Wolfe, is designed to help women to network and connect with other women virtually.?While the companies feministic ethos would suggest that it wants to help women to become more confident and to learn to network, do we really need an app for that?