How Women Rise

1. Recognize and overcome self-limiting behaviors that hold women back

Women often have very different experiences at work and may evoke different responses from those they work with.

Self-awareness is key. Women face unique challenges in the workplace, often stemming from societal expectations and ingrained habits. These behaviors, while potentially helpful earlier in their careers, can become obstacles to advancement. Common self-limiting behaviors include:

• Reluctance to claim achievements
• Expecting others to notice and reward contributions spontaneously
• Overvaluing expertise at the expense of leadership skills
• Building relationships without leveraging them effectively

Overcoming limitations requires intention. Recognizing these patterns is the first step towards change. Women must actively work to reframe their thinking and adopt new behaviors that align with their career goals. This may involve challenging long-held beliefs about modesty, competence, and professional relationships.

2. Claim your achievements and leverage relationships to advance your career

If you don't find a way to speak about the value of what you're doing, you send a message that you don't put much value on it. And if you don't value it, why should anyone else?

Self-promotion is essential. Many women struggle with claiming their achievements, fearing they'll be perceived as arrogant or self-centered. However, failing to do so can significantly hinder career progress. To overcome this:

• Develop a concise "elevator speech" about your accomplishments and goals
• Practice accepting compliments with a simple "thank you"
• Keep your boss informed about your contributions regularly

Leverage relationships strategically. Building strong relationships is often a strength for women, but many fail to leverage these connections for career advancement. To do this effectively:

• Approach relationships with a mutual benefit mindset
• Be intentional about cultivating connections that align with your career goals
• Don't hesitate to ask for introductions or assistance from your network

3. Balance expertise with leadership skills to rise in your organization

Expertise will only take you so far. That's because the top jobs always require managing and leading people who have expertise, not providing expertise yourself.

Shift focus from mastery to leadership. While expertise is crucial for early career success, it can become a limiting factor as you seek higher positions. To advance:

• Delegate tasks and trust your team's expertise
• Develop a broader, strategic perspective on your organization
• Focus on building connections and influencing others

Cultivate diverse forms of power. Recognize that there are multiple types of power in organizations:

• Expertise power
• Connection power
• Personal authority or charisma
• Positional power

Aim to develop all of these, rather than relying solely on expertise.

4. Enlist allies from day one and prioritize your career over your current job

Allies are the heart and soul of a successful career.

Build a support network immediately. When starting a new position or project, focus on building relationships and enlisting allies from the outset. This approach:

• Provides essential support and resources
• Increases visibility within the organization
• Facilitates smoother transitions and problem-solving

Think long-term. Prioritize your overall career trajectory over your current job. This mindset shift involves:

• Seeking opportunities for growth and advancement
• Being willing to take calculated risks
• Avoiding the loyalty trap that keeps you in a comfortable but limiting position

5. Let go of perfectionism and the need to please everyone

Striving to be perfect creates stress, for you and for those around you, because it's based on expectations that human beings may occasionally live up to but which cannot be sustained over time.

Embrace "good enough." Perfectionism can be paralyzing and counterproductive. To overcome this:

• Set realistic standards for yourself and others
• Focus on progress rather than flawless execution
• Learn to delegate effectively and trust your team

Set boundaries. The need to please everyone can lead to overcommitment and burnout. To combat this:

• Learn to say "no" to requests that don't align with your goals
• Prioritize tasks based on their importance to your career and well-being
• Recognize that disappointing others occasionally is inevitable and acceptable

6. Communicate effectively by minimizing and avoiding overcompensation

Minimizing behaviors and figures of speech are particularly challenging for women raised in cultures that place a high value on female modesty and self-effacement.

Speak with confidence. Avoid minimizing language and behaviors that undermine your authority:

• Eliminate unnecessary apologies and qualifiers (e.g., "just," "only," "I think")
• Use "I" instead of "we" when discussing personal achievements
• Maintain strong body language and eye contact

Balance assertiveness and empathy. While it's important to project confidence, avoid overcompensating by becoming overly aggressive or emotional:

• Cultivate a calm, authoritative presence
• Express emotions thoughtfully and strategically
• Practice active listening to balance speaking and receiving input

7. Stop ruminating and manage your emotional radar for professional success

Dwelling on the negative and berating yourself is bad for your health, physical and mental. And the longer your mind is consumed with gloomy self-accusations, the worse you will feel.

Break the rumination cycle. Overthinking past mistakes or perceived failures can be detrimental to your mental health and professional performance. To combat this:

• Practice mindfulness and present-moment awareness
• Reframe negative thoughts into constructive lessons
• Set time limits for reflection, then move on to problem-solving

Harness your emotional intelligence. Women often have a well-developed "radar" for emotional cues and interpersonal dynamics. While this can be an asset, it can also be distracting. To manage this:

• Use your emotional insights strategically in leadership and team management
• Practice focusing on the task at hand, filtering out non-essential information
• Develop techniques to remain present and engaged in high-pressure situations

8. Start with one small change and enlist help to make lasting improvements

Making small changes, and repeating them until they become habitual, is more likely to yield long-term results than trying to become a brand-new you all at once.

Focus on incremental progress. Attempting to change everything at once is often overwhelming and unsustainable. Instead:

• Identify one specific behavior to work on
• Break it down into small, manageable steps
• Celebrate small victories along the way

Seek support and accountability. Changing ingrained habits is challenging to do alone. To increase your chances of success:

• Enlist a trusted colleague or friend to provide feedback and support
• Consider working with a peer coach for regular check-ins and mutual accountability
• Be open about your goals for change, creating a network of support within your organization

Last updated: November 22, 2024