Confident At Work

Confident At Work

By Anna ManningBusinessCareers
Download on the App Store

Confident At Work episodes

  • 170. How to Stop Taking Feedback So Personally (Handling Negative & Constructive Feedback)

    📌 ⁠⁠Join us: Don’t miss the Confident At Work 2026 Masterclass at the end of January ⁠⁠


    Receiving negative feedback or constructive criticism can feel deeply personal - even when you’re doing well and most feedback is positive. If you’ve ever struggled with feed criticism at work, felt knocked by feedback, or wondered “why do I take feedback so personally?”, this episode is for you.

    In this episode, we explore why negative feedback hurts so much, how low confidence cycles and self-criticism make feedback harder to handle, and why struggling with criticism is often part of a bigger emotional picture. I also share my own experience of finding feedback painful and how that changed over time.

    We talk about:

    • ​Why we take feedback personally and emotionally
    • ​How to handle negative feedback at work with more confidence
    • ​The difference between unfair feedback and constructive feedback
    • ​Power dynamics and why some feedback feels unsafe
    • ​Common reactions to criticism (defensiveness, shutdown, panic)
    • ​How to stop spiralling after negative feedback
    • ​How to build confidence so feedback feels manageable
    • ​A practical mindset shift to help you receive feedback without collapsing

    If you want to handle criticism better, stop overthinking feedback, and feel more confident when receiving negative feedback, this episode will help you start changing your relationship with feedback - with time, a bit of compassion, and practice.


    Want to be more Confident At Work?

    Start here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠take our free: Confidence Assessment ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    Get private support to feel confident at work - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠book a call to explore private coaching⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  

    Explore and join the ⁠Confident At Work Membership ⁠


    Cover art by Jacob McFadden

    Theme song by Melissa Carter @ Making Audio Magic 


    29 min
  • 169. What We Learned About Your Confidence Challenges in 2025 - And How We’ll Tackle Them in 2026

    📌 ⁠Join us: Don’t miss the Confident At Work 2026 Masterclass at the end of January ⁠- your chance to explore these insights and step into the year with greater clarity and self-awareness.


    Looking to understand the confidence challenges that high-performing professionals face at work? In this episode, we review the biggest struggles reported by clients and listeners in 2025 - from overthinking and perfectionism to people-pleasing, speaking up in meetings, handling feedback, and navigating conflict.

    We explore the patterns and insights behind these challenges, showing what really keeps people stuck and why these struggles are so common, even for successful and emotionally intelligent professionals.

    💡 Key insights include:

    • How the inner critic and over-monitoring affect confidence

    • Why speaking up or setting boundaries can feel so difficult

    • Patterns of confidence under pressure, in high-stakes moments, and when feedback is involved

    • How social perception and self-doubt influence day-to-day performance

    • The shift from “fake it till you make it” to understanding authentic confidence

    🎯 Perfect for: mid-to-senior professionals, emotionally intelligent leaders, and anyone interested in understanding the dynamics of confidence at work!


    Want to be more Confident At Work?


    • 📌 ⁠Join us: Don’t miss the Confident At Work 2026 class at the end of January ⁠- your chance to explore these insights and step into the year with greater clarity and self-awareness.
    • Get private support to feel confident at work - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠book a call to explore private coaching⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  
    • Explore and join the ⁠⁠Confident At Work Membership ⁠⁠


    Cover art by Jacob McFadden

    Theme song by Melissa Carter @ Making Audio Magic 

    14 min
  • 168. 5 Things to Leave in 2025 for More Confidence in 2026

    Sign up here: ⁠Confident At Work 2026 Masterclass, January 2026⁠

    Ready to step into the new year with more confidence at work? In this episode, we explore 5 things to leave behind in 2025 that might be holding you back:

    1. ​Judgment - Stop judging yourself too harshly around your confidence.
    2. ​Embarrassment - Let go of feeling bad about feeling bad!
    3. ​Thinking it’s a personality flaw - Confidence isn’t fixed; it can be built.
    4. ​Thinking it’s just you - You’re not alone in feeling uncertain.
    5. ​Thinking there’s nothing you can do - Small steps can create big change.


    🎓 If you want to feel more confident at work, you need to ⁠join our upcoming training, Confident At Work 2026 Masterclass.⁠


    Want to be more Confident At Work?

    • ​⁠Join our upcoming class to start 2026 with real confidence at work.⁠⁠
    • ​Get private support to feel confident at work - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠book a call to explore private coaching⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  
    • ​Explore and join the ⁠⁠Confident At Work Membership ⁠⁠


    Cover art by Jacob McFadden

    Theme song by Melissa Carter @ Making Audio Magic 

    18 min
  • 167. The 7 Skills You Need To Build Confidence At Work

    Do you struggle with self-doubt, overthinking, or fear at work? Confidence isn’t something you either have or don’t - it’s something you can develop by mastering a set of key skills.

    In this episode, I break down the 7 essential skills that take you from low to high confidence at work. You’ll learn all about skills you need to master including learning how to:

    • ​Trust your decisions and expertise
    • ​Step out of overthinking and stay present
    • ​Manage stress and emotions effectively
    • ​Handle mistakes and setbacks
    • ​Recognise your strengths and give yourself fair feedback

    Whether you want to perform at your best, boost your confidence, or show up with clarity and calm, this episode gives you the roadmap to start building confidence today.

    Want to be more Confident At Work?

    ⁠Join our free How To Be More Confident Masterclass happening in September 2026 ⁠⁠

    • ​Start here: take our free Confidence Assessment
    • ​Get private support: book a call to explore private coaching


    Cover art by Jacob McFadden

    Theme song by Melissa Carter @ Making Audio Magic


    20 min
  • 166. Why I Want You to F Up While You’re Building Confidence at Work

    In this episode, we're talking about one of the core skills you need to build real confidence at work: tolerating mistakes.


    Right now, the strategy you’re probably using to feel more confident is getting everything perfect - getting everything right. In this episode, I’ll show you why ultimately, that doesn’t work and what you need to do differently if you want to feel genuinely confident at work.


    If your confidence drops the moment something goes wrong, this episode is for you. Many professionals struggle with imposter syndrome, overthinking, perfectionism and worrying about how they’re perceived - and you can’t solve any of that without learning to handle mistakes.


    We’ll explore:

    • ​Why confidence collapses when you depend on everything going right
    • ​How perfectionism and over-preparing keep you stuck
    • ​Why mistakes feel so threatening
    • ​The essential skill that will help keep you calm, grounded and more resilient

    You’ll learn how to build confidence that holds up under pressure, and how to feel more steady, capable and yourself at work - even when things get messy.


    Want to be more Confident At Work?

    • ​Start here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠take our free: Confidence Assessment ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
    • ​Get private support to feel confident at work - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠book a call to explore private coaching⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  
    • ​Explore and join the ⁠Confident At Work Membership ⁠


    Cover art by Jacob McFadden

    Theme song by Melissa Carter @ Making Audio Magic 

    11 min
  • 165. Before vs After: 3 Real Work Moments Where Big Emotions Finally Calmed Down

    Ever had panic, fear, or worry hijack your brain at work? In this episode, I’m sharing three real before-and-after client stories where big emotions once took over - and how each person learned to calm things down and stay grounded.

    You’ll hear:

    • How a public-speaking freak-out became manageable nerves

    • How someone stopped shrinking and stayed online when challenged in a meeting

    • How a big meeting went from sick-with-worry → calm, prepared, and done, with no emotional hangover!

    These kinds of emotional shifts can create huge changes in how you show up at work.


    Want to be more Confident At Work?

    Start here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠take our free: Confidence Assessment ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    Get private support to feel confident at work - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠book a call to explore private coaching⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  

    Explore and join the ⁠Confident At Work Membership ⁠


    Cover art by Jacob McFadden

    Theme song by Melissa Carter @ Making Audio Magic 

    18 min
  • 164. Confidence for the Many (Not Just a Privileged Few)

    In this episode of Confident at Work, Anna opens up a powerful conversation about who confidence is really for - and why it’s time we stop treating it like something only a privileged few get to have.

    Drawing on years of coaching, personal experience, and the patterns she sees across workplaces, Anna explores why so many competent professionals still feel like confidence is out of reach. She digs into the invisible barriers faced by people who’ve been historically marginalised or made to feel “other,” and why confidence isn’t a personality trait you either luck into or miss out on - it’s something you can build, nurture, and grow from the inside out.

    This episode invites you to see confidence as a generational movement: one that challenges the norms that reward the already-advantaged, and instead opens the door for everyone to feel grounded, capable, and confident at work.


    Want to be more Confident At Work?

    Start here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠take our free: Confidence Assessment ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    Get private support to feel confident at work - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠book a call to explore private coaching⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  

    Explore and join the ⁠Confident At Work Membership ⁠


    Cover art by Jacob McFadden

    Theme song by Melissa Carter @ Making Audio Magic 

    17 min
  • 163. How To Stop Overdoing, And Start Trusting Yourself

    If you’ve been trying to feel confident by overdoing everything this episode is your wake-up call!


    So many competent professionals fall into the same pattern of overdoing ; overworking, over-preparing, over-delivering, over-checking, and overthinking. And while it works - for a while!


    In this episode, Anna Manning explores why so many of us rely on overdoing and why that strategy eventually stops working.


    You’ll learn how to shift from control mode to trust, from effort to more ease - and how real confidence begins not with doing more, but by learning how to trust yourself.


    • ​Why overdoing feels like the safe route to confidence - and how it keeps you stuck
    • ​The moment overdoing stops working (and how to recognise it)
    • ​Why confidence built on control always has a limit
    • ​What it actually means to “trust yourself” at work


    Want to be more Confident At Work?


    Start here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠take our free: Confidence Assessment ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠


    Get private support to feel confident at work - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠book a call to explore private coaching⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  


    Explore and join the ⁠Confident At Work Membership ⁠


    Cover art by Jacob McFadden

    Theme song by Melissa Carter @ Making Audio Magic 

    18 min
  • 162. When Confidence Gets Tested: Decide How You’ll Handle it Ahead Of Time

    In this episode of Confident at Work, Anna Manning explores a powerful mindset tool for building genuine confidence - deciding ahead of time. Confidence at work isn’t built in the easy moments; it’s built in how you handle the hard ones - after a mistake, failure, or embarrassing moment. Anna explains why waiting until you’re in those situations to decide how to respond often leads to harsh self-criticism, and how choosing your response beforehand can completely change how you lead yourself and strengthen your confidence for the longterm. You’ll learn how to:

    • Strengthen your self-leadership and emotional resilience at work
    • Replace self-doubt and self-criticism with support and accountability
    • Create your own “internal boss”
    • Understand why kindness doesn’t make you complacent, it makes you capable

    Confidence isn’t about perfection - it’s about how you treat yourself when things don’t go perfectly. Want to be more Confident At Work?

    Start here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠take our free: Confidence Assessment ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    Get private support to feel confident at work - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠book a call to explore private coaching⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  

    Explore and join the ⁠Confident At Work Membership ⁠

    17 min
  • 161. Cringe to Comedy: Rewriting Your Worst Work Stories!

    We’ve all got one - that mortifying work moment we still think about at 3 a.m. The awkward presentation. The email that went to the wrong person. The interview that turned into a monologue.


    In this episode, we’re taking those moments that made you cringe… and turning them into comedy. Because being able to re-tell your old stories is a powerful way to loosen their grip, reduce their impact, and have a good old chuckle in the process!


    You’ll learn:


    💡 Why humour is such a powerful mindset-shifting tool


    💡 How to reframe your most embarrassing work stories so they lose their sting


    By the end, you’ll see that even your most cringe-worthy moments can become funny stories, and that being able to laugh about them truly changes things for the better.


    Want to be more Confident At Work?


    Start here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠take our free: Confidence Assessment ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠


    Get private support to feel confident at work - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠book a call to explore private coaching⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  


    Explore and join the ⁠Confident At Work Membership ⁠


    Cover art by Jacob McFadden

    Theme song by Melissa Carter @ Making Audio Magic 

    19 min

About Confident At Work

From the publisher's feed

Confident at Work is a weekly podcast by Confidence Coach Anna Manning, designed to help professionals feel calm, capable, and confident at work. Each episode explores the real challenges behind…

More shows like Confident At Work

The Diary Of A CEO with Steven Bartlett by DOAC

The Diary Of A CEO with Steven Bartlett

8,308 Listeners

Happy Place by Fearne Cotton

Happy Place

854 Listeners

Meaningful Conversations with Stereotype Breakers by Masha Zvereva

Meaningful Conversations with Stereotype Breakers

11 Listeners

The Rest Is Politics by Goalhanger

The Rest Is Politics

3,016 Listeners

The Mel Robbins Podcast by Mel Robbins

The Mel Robbins Podcast

18,797 Listeners

Begin Again with Davina McCall by Begin Again

Begin Again with Davina McCall

577 Listeners