Being confident, assured, and commanding isnt a bad thing.

It can help people take you seriously in the workplace, social situations, and ininterpersonal relationships.

But there is a difference between being confident and being intimidating.

Portrait of casual businessman during meeting

Hinterhaus Productions/Stone/Getty

Confidenceis marked by self-belief and a willingness to assert your ideas.

If people feel threatened by you, they are less likely to confide in you or seek your help.

They may even give a shot to avoid interacting with you at all.

Eye contact is important for goodbody language.

It can be used to convey interest, honesty, and attentiveness.

Empathizingwith other people and seeing things from their point of view is a good place to start.

You might start by imagining yourself in their situation.

Smile at People

attempt to smile at others and express more positive emotions in social situations.

But others may find it intimidating if you stand too close or use sharp, sudden gestures.

Show Gratitude to Others

Be willing to let other people know that you appreciate them.

Expressinggratitudelets people know that you value their efforts.

People who feel valued and receive genuine feedback are less likely to see you as intimidating.

Showing gratitude isnt a sign of weakness and wont make others lose respect for you.

Strengthen Your Conversational Skills

People may see you as intimidating if you tend to dominate the conversation.

For example, they may misinterpret your confidence or assertiveness as intimidation.

Being welcoming and kind can help, but ultimately, it is up to others to address their issues.

These characteristics may help people rise to positions of power.

Those traits become a hindrance to things like fostering social harmony and improving group productivity.

If you are in a leadership position, becoming less intimidating can help improve team cohesiveness and productivity.

It can be frustrating if other people find you intimidating.

If you want to be less intimidating, take steps you use good eye contact and open body language.

2019;14(12):e0225284.

doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0225284

Cunha LF, Pellanda LC, Reppold CT.Positive Psychology and Gratitude Interventions: A Randomized Clinical Trial.Front Psychol.

2016;8(3):2123-2128. doi:10.19082/2123

National Institute of Mental Health.Personality disorders.

2020;117(31):18566-18573. doi:10.1073/pnas.2000158117