Those who exhibit extremely meek and mild personalities naturally fall into the background. While they may in reality be more qualified and capable of doing the job, they aren't the ones who command the respect and authority necessary for those big promotions. Strong personalities exude strength and power and tend to be the ones chosen to lead in the workforce.

So, if you are struggling to move to the next level at work, you may want to take a good hard look at your level of self esteem and whether or not it may be harming your chances of advancement by not allowing your co-workers and superiors to see the wonderful asset you are to the company.

Watch for these career busters:

Lack of Confidence.

A lack of confidence in yourself can carry over in the way others view your ability to take over a project and make sure it is completed on time, on budget and with the creativity and attention it deserves. Until you can show a sincere belief in yourself, how can you expect others to believe in you?

Lack of Control.

People who don't have confidence in themselves often lack the control to get others to do what they need to. Those in superior positions at work have to have the power to be able to get people moving in order to get the job done.

An Inability to Take Responsibility.

Those with little self esteem often find it difficult to accept even minimal criticism or suggestions and may exhibit an inability to accept responsibility for things that have gone wrong (often placing blame on others around them), and the willingness or aptitude to tackle problems that may arise.

An Inability To Try New Things.

Being a supervisor of people and projects requires a certain sense of adventure. Those who are stuck doing everything the same old way years after year out of fear of rejection often find sales sluggish and clients unhappy.

Job-Hopping.

One way to ensure that you won't move up in a company is to leave before you even have a chance at a promotion. People with low self-esteem are restless and often view their current job as a stepping stone to the next one, but never really stay long enough to make a real impression.

A Lack of Intimacy.

While office romances should be discouraged, you do need to be able to connect with the people you work with on a personal note to be able to move forward. Good supervisors get to know the people below them and take the time to understand what personal issues may be affecting their job performance. People with low self-esteem are uncomfortable forming close relationships either on a personal or professional level that can hurt their chances of promotion in the future.

A Lack of Energy.

People on the fast track for success are often bullets of energy who can handle multiple jobs and responsibilities with little effort. Low esteem often saps your energy levels and makes it difficult to handle any problems that may arise on the job.