I’ve worked plenty of front-office jobs but somehow, even if an interaction went reasonably well with a client, I get very anxious and nervous afterwards. I even get up and walk or fidget with my hands to externalize some of that feeling.
I know it’s partly because sometimes I answer awkwardly to questions and then I overthink what the guest thought of it. I have trouble making myself commanding or serious when I deal with unreasonable guests. I also am pretty bad with body language or knowing how to stand naturally when I talk. I don’t think I’m socially awkward because this happens mostly at my job place, but I manage myself way better outside.
I thought maybe reading some books like “How to Communicate with Confidence” or “How to Win Friends and Influence People” may help me carry conversations more naturally? What do you think of these?
TL;DR: Socially anxious at front-office job, need tips on carrying conversations more confidently.
1 comment
I was painfully shy growing up and started working in retail to learn how to small talk. I would be constantly told how soft spoken I was, kinda shy. Eventually I started to tell myself that the person isn’t thinking about me and most people are just caught up in their own world. Everyday I would tell myself that to reduce my anxiety. It helped knowing that I wouldn’t see this person again, so I cognitively knew they really wouldn’t be thinking about me later. The mantra takes practice, I’m not going to lie. Eventually the only social anxiety I had was when I knew I was going to have regular interaction with someone.