As a woman in the workforce, you may face more difficult challenges than men, such as obstacles when advancing in your career and juggling various demands from family and work. Your perception is likely accurate. To succeed in your career, you should not let circumstances control your journey or destination. It is within your power to overcome challenges and thrive. These tips can improve your likelihood of success and can be applied at any stage of your career.
Master the art of being assertive
To thrive professionally, assertiveness is a crucial trait that you must cultivate. During salary discussions and other business-related conversations, it's expected that you assert yourself and negotiate for fair compensation instead of simply accepting the first offer. Within team meetings, you must speak loudly and clearly to ensure your ideas are heard and valued. Demanding excellence from your team members is another key aspect of assertiveness, as it can help to maintain high standards and drive positive outcomes. By consistently practicing and developing your assertiveness skills, you can confidently communicate your ideas and needs in any professional context.
Publicize your work: Beware of the tiara syndrome
Just as the most valuable diamond is worthless if it remains buried in the earth, an executive's achievements are not fully recognized until they are communicated to the world. Therefore, it's important to proactively showcase your contributions and accomplishments by highlighting them to your boss and team members. Take advantage of formal and informal opportunities to discuss your work and ensure you receive the credit you deserve. When speaking about team achievements, emphasize your contributions to demonstrate your value. It's essential to learn how to gracefully accept praise without deflecting or ignoring it by simply saying "thank you."
Strive to have a modest sense of assurance, while also being willing to promote yourself and highlight your accomplishments, particularly those that help establish your personal brand.
Perfectionism can be tiring
We go to great lengths to hide our imposter syndrome and avoid criticism by meticulously obsessing over every detail and redoing tasks repeatedly, often driven by a desire for approval, appreciation, and recognition.
Trying to achieve perfection often hinders progress and is associated with negative outcomes such as depression, anxiety, addiction, being stuck in life, and missing opportunities. It's important to acknowledge that not everything needs to be perfect and that sometimes, completing a task is more important than achieving perfection.
Embrace the power of no
Embracing the power of saying "no" can be a valuable tool for women in the workplace to prevent burnout and overload themselves with too many tasks. Many workplaces expect women to take on extra tasks and say "yes" to everything, which can result in an unmanageable workload and decreased efficiency. By setting boundaries and being strategic with their time, women can prioritize important tasks and maintain productivity. For example, if a female employee is asked to work on a new project that interferes with her existing workload, she can decline the request or negotiate the timeline, empowering her to avoid taking on too much and maintain a healthy work-life balance.
Find mentors
To speed up your learning and professional development, it's valuable to find mentors who are willing to teach and can condense your learning period. Whether male or female, competent mentors can provide extensive experience and insights to help you improve your work approach and abilities, and conquer any challenges. Nevertheless, it's necessary to differentiate between mentors and friends to ensure a long-lasting association. To show appreciation for their time and knowledge, mentors should be given the respect and gratitude they deserve.
You may want to take a look at the Women in Tech Mentoring program.
Network in and out of the office
Many individuals fall into the habit of working outside of their regular hours, but taking advantage of breaks can be an ideal opportunity to cultivate professional relationships that may facilitate career growth upon returning to the workplace. Bonding with coworkers during non-working hours can promote a greater sense of unity and enable individuals to showcase their unique characteristics. To foster these relationships, it is recommended that individuals participate in social events with colleagues, such as visiting a cottage, even if they lack prior experience with such activities. Such events allow for the establishment of deeper connections with coworkers and can provide an opportunity to share cultural traditions.
Your Non-Office Life Matters
Having a well-rounded background is an invaluable asset for any woman in the workforce. Taking up volunteer work or serving on boards can provide opportunities for enhancing one's governance and leadership abilities, contributing to a more well-rounded skillset. Apart from bolstering one's resume, volunteering can also facilitate the acquisition of new and transferable skills that may prove beneficial in one's career. Moreover, depending on one's interests, volunteering can be an enjoyable experience that opens doors to meeting individuals from different professional backgrounds.
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