Unlocking women’s leadership potential July 10, 2022 by Belinda EganOff the hop, let’s just say something out loud that we all know but rarely acknowledge: It is *&!%ing hard to be a high-achieving woman in the workplace. You’re expected to be self-confident and assertive, while also being malleable and gentle. You’re asked to take charge and speak up, but then told you’re “too much” or “bossy” when you do it “the wrong way”. You pitch brilliant, nuanced ideas and solutions to complicated problems, but then the guy one seat over says something to add on to your idea and gets (or takes) the credit for it. And if you try to interrupt or remind the room that it was your idea, you risk yourself being seen as abrasive…pushy…or worst of all, conceited. You know this dance so well – you have to perform it every day. 💃Be bold and make your presence known, but not so much that it makes others uncomfy. 💃Receive feedback humbly, but also stand up for yourself when needed (without getting emotional! God forbid it!) 💃Speak up and be heard, but not too much or too often. It’s exhausting – and you’re tired of having to memorize the steps. How can you make the dance work in your favor, so that you keep advancing in your career while maintaining the respect and dignity that we all need, regardless of gender or identity? You can invest in specific training to build up your strength and resilience – and then rock the hell outta the dance. So which traits help employees rise faster in their careers? A study from Stanford Business School in 2011 called “Reducing the backlash effect: Self-monitoring and women’s promotions” (O’Neill, O’Reilly, Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology, 2011) indicates that women who are considered “agentic” (meaning showing a great deal of agency over one’s life and trajectory) are simultaneously viewed as violating the female gender role, while also receiving more promotions if they engage in what they term “self-monitoring” – the ability to adapt one’s behavior, emotions, and responses based on feedback they receive from their environment. Even though 2011 was 11 years ago and much has changed – this fact really hasn’t. The traits that build up successful leaders – assertiveness, self-assuredness and confidence, and a sort of authoritarian style of leadership – are often considered to be ‘male’ traits, mostly because males typically possess these traits more naturally, or prioritize building these traits in themselves because they feel the need to. Let’s reframe this and put it on its head: Instead of being considered ‘male’ traits, you should think of them as good business traits. A good business person is confident and clear on what they want, and they head in that direction. When they have ideas or changes to be made, they do the work to make them happen. They aren’t afraid of hearing ‘no’ or ‘you’re doing it wrong’ any more than they’re thrilled to hear ‘yes’ and ‘you’re doing an amazing job!’… This is important for you to remember, considering the previously quoted study. When you take control of your career trajectory and do whatever it takes to pursue excellence (whether that be a promotion, a pay raise, or simply being the best version of yourself at work), people may furrow their brows at you, because you’re not behaving in the way they’d expect you to. Don’t give them an inch of your attention and energy, and stay focused on your mission. Because… Good business people don’t concern themselves with the opinions of others, and they consider growth and failure to be synonymous. A healthy growth mindset, self-assuredness, assertiveness and a gentle understanding of yourself and others is a great recipe for the type of leadership that leads to transformative change. Feeling like you could benefit from some training in any of these traits? Learn more about leaning into “the good challenges” that will push you out of your comfort zone and bring you to new heights in your career, check out my free e-Book, “Unlocking The Power of Courageous Leadership.” It’s a quick but effective “check-up” on your values, beliefs, and natural skills as a leader that will help you highlight areas of possible development. See you soon, Belinda Egan