Happy High Status: How to Be Effortlessly Confident

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If you can make people laugh at work then you are doing OK. Photograph: Getty Images 5. Make people (and yourself) laugh

If you have to speak in front of others, you could choose, for example, to be clear, concise and succinct. If you have to approach someone who intimidates you, you could be decisive, steadfast or (not for the faint of heart) optimistic. Ask if this is ‘internal’ or ‘external’ for you

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Too many people are vague in their examination of their own confidence. They expect to just feel it unquestioningly. But that’s unrealistic. You can’t wake up every day feeling great. It pays to think about what exactly is bothering you, and what you can do to fix it. The answer is often very specific. Drawing on research, practical tips and lessons from the worlds of comedy, film, television, politics and sport, Viv Groskop offers a masterclass in how you can access this new form of confidence at any time. All, crucially, with no risk of anyone thinking that you are your own biggest fan. Everyone wants to feel at home and at ease with themselves. We all want to be able to face any situation, both in life and at work, without feeling daunted, intimidated or stressed. But no-one wants to be labelled over-confident, arrogant or smarmy, or to get caught up in their own hype. So how can you feel authentically, properly confident - without the cringe, and without pretending to be something you're not?

This class is for anyone who wants to improve their confidence, presence and public speaking, whether in formal contexts, such as a job interview or work presentation, or simply whilst talking to friends or speaking on screen during a Zoom call. This course is for … A speaker who takes their time can appear more confident that one who speaks at a mile a minute.’ Photograph: Getty Images 1. Listen more, talk less and rethink your attitude towards silence For some of us, this quality could be about channelling quiet calm, reassurance and diplomacy. For others it could be bringing the wow factor, exuding charisma or even being slightly seductive. Or it could be about bringing one of any of these: curiosity, warmth, a questioning nature, generosity, intensity, focus, ease, dynamism, wit, kindness … There is no right answer.

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You might choose to confide difficulties to a colleague. Photograph: Klaus Vedfelt/Getty Images 3. Be honest about your negativity Confidence gets a bad rap. We struggle to define what it really is. We envy it in others and want it for ourselves. And yet also we despise people – and even ridicule them – when they have “too much” of it. Not that we can agree on how much confidence is too much. One person’s version of smooth self-assurance can come across to someone else as the worst kind of smug. It’s something we’ve all heard contradictory messages about since we were children. This compassionate, funny and motivating book is about how to have effortless confidence. The kind of confidence that comes not from anything particular that you say or do but from how you hold yourself, your ‘status’. At its heart is the idea that ‘we are all always giving off signals and “tells” to others that signify – consciously or unconsciously – how we expect them to treat us.’

Before going on stage she recommends immersing yourself in the energy of the room. And Angela will always make sure her eyes look amazing.Drawing on research, practical tips and lessons from the worlds of comedy, film, television, politics and sport, this is a masterclass in how to project status, minimise self-doubt and move effortlessly through life. All, crucially, with no risk of anyone thinking that you are your own biggest fan. Happy high status is a new way of thinking about confidence and how you relate to yourself. It's how actors and comedians enhance their presence on stage and screen. And in this inspirational guide, Viv Groskop explains how we can access it at any time to lend strength and energy to our interactions, big and small. We aim to make all Guardian Masterclasses fully accessible. If you require any adjustments to enable your participation in this course, please get in touch with us at [email protected].