You work hard. You are intellectual, thoughtful, & always on time. In addition, you complete tasks faster than anyone around you. Moreover, you are always seeking professional growth & opportunities to acquire new skills.
So, you might think that others automatically think you are excellent at anything & everything you do. But you need to go the extra mile to demonstrate competency in the workplace.
The hard truth is that being competent doesn’t guarantee if others see you as competent or not.
But proving competence in the workplace is integral to advancing your career, whether you are an entrepreneur looking for funds or an employee seeking to climb up the corporate ladder.
You must know that business is a sport for gladiators. It’s a sport for those who can master how to showcase that competence always wins!
Having given you a fair idea, we will discuss how you can demonstrate competence in the workplace. So, let us begin with our discussion!
What Are Workplace Competencies?
A workplace competency describes a skill, characteristic, or behavior for a particular job, which is used to define & measure an individual’s effectiveness.
Competencies are arranged into a framework that combines several job roles & capabilities that a job holder must possess to perform his job effectively.
While aiming to offer a fair & consistent approach to employee engagement & development, demonstrating competency in the workplace is integral in large organizations.
How To Demonstrate Competency In The Workplace
Here are a few tips on how you can demonstrate competency in the workplace. Take a look!
- Understand How People Percieve You
There are two kinds of competence, i.e., actual & perceived. Actual competence is your skill set, i.e., what you are capable of accomplishing. On the other hand, perceived competence is how others assess your skill set, i.e., what others think you can achieve.
Thus, before you learn to demonstrate competence, understand how others see you and what they think of you.
- Use Confirmation Bias
Another integral concept of proving competence in the workplace is confirmation bias. This is the tendency of people to interpret information in a way that confirms their beliefs.
Well, this implies that when you act confident & competent, people tend to believe you actually are! But if you act uncertain & insecure, your coworkers will begin to see & focus on your weaknesses instead of your strengths. Thus, make sure you represent yourself as a confident and competent individual.
- Don’t Be Modest
Confirmation bias teaches us to act confidently, but this is easier said than done. One way to demonstrate competence in the workplace is to begin taking credit for your accomplishments.
People tend to think that being perceived/ discerned as a team player will help earn recognition. But ensuring that others know how you are contributing to the company’s projects is what will really get you ahead.
- Change Your Physiology
Are you competent enough? Prove it by changing your physiology!
Your body language doesn’t just interact with the world; it also tells your brain what to feel. So, the best way to begin is with a smile, even if you don’t feel excited.
Take a deep breath through your shoulders back & hold your head high. Try it & we are sure you will feel more confident & proud!
- Use Power Speech
It is one of the most integral ways of demonstrating competence in the workplace.
Body language is a part of communication in the workplace, but speech is of utmost importance! Thus, make sure to speak confidently.
In addition, also pay attention to the fact that you are loud enough for everyone to hear. And don’t forget to cut out hedge words like ‘I think’, ‘please’, etc. Thus, to demonstrate competence, use definitive words like ‘must’ & ‘will’.
- Focus On First Impressions
First impressions are created on the judgments of two traits, i.e., competence & warmth.
One study showed that people who were rated low on warmth were witnessed as more competent than their coworkers.
So, when you wish to demonstrate competence in the workplace, focus less on building rapport & more on reading your audience. Then, determine the best way to communicate with people to succeed in your work!
- Have An Opinion
Leaders are decisive. They know how to showcase competence by making vital decisions & taking action.
However, you can incorporate these skills even when you are not in a leadership position. When faced with a new task or issue, think it through. Do some research. Come up with your own solutions.
Even if your coworkers disagree with you, you’ll still demonstrate competence in the workplace.
- Ask For Advice
Proposing your own solutions is another way to enter the conversation & appear thoughtful, knowledgeable, & curious. It doesn’t mean acting like a know-it-all.
But when you ask for advice, it actually shows your competence. Well, when you show the other person that you value their opinions & perceptions, you make them feel good and acknowledged. As a result, they also feel good about you, thus enabling you to make cordial workplace relationships.
- Be Honest
Telling the truth is the best way to showcase competence. However, you must notice that hiding or distorting events will not work in the long run.
Taking accountability for things in the workplace will help you build trust – the most essential trait! Thus, if you make a mistake, come up with some solutions. Show your leaders that you care about the company & help them fix the issue.
- Master Your Emotions
When you master your emotions, you will know how to show competence & act like a natural, irrespective of your situation. Try to act normally instead of exploding in a meeting or getting stuck answering an interview question.
Your coworkers will think you are mentally strong & are able to buck yourself up in every situation. Well, they will be encouraged by the way to represent yourself & tackle situations.
Also Read: Behavioral Competency At Work
Thrive In Your Workplace!
Demonstrating competence in the workplace defines how effectively you can work in the organization. In addition, explaining every detail regarding what you did, how you did it, & why you did it also helps you showcase your competence towards your work.
So, if you think you are competent enough and seeking ways to demonstrate it, you must try the tips mentioned above. Try to incorporate them into your everyday life & see how your presence will transform. After all, a competent employee is always valued in the workplace.
Lastly, if you wish to become a competent employee & inculcate relevant skills, consider visiting our website RILC Academy. Our corporate training sessions will help you in acquiring the skills you need in the present time.
Suggested Read: Career Planning & Goal Roadmapping
