Yes, there are cultural and institutional barriers that prevent women from entering the C-suite.
Yes, there are cultural and institutional barriers that prevent women from getting paid what they are worth.
However, are women going to wait for these institutional and cultural forces to change so they can climb the corporate ladder and get paid what they deserve?
To paraphrase Gandhi: “Be the change you want to see in the world.”
Every woman must take individual responsibility for their career advancement and pay by learning the following 3 skills.
3 Skills Necessary for Success
1. Self-Promotion. Women must learn the art of self-promotion.
Women, unlike men, have a very difficult time promoting themselves. We find it difficult to share our victories and, to be blunt, it’s hard for women to brag!
We often remain silent during meetings.
And sometimes when we do speak up, we often allow our ideas to be ignored or totally dismissed. Yet, a man might make the same exact suggestion or observation five minutes later, and he’s a genius.
Good Girl Syndrome
Women fall prey to the “good girl” syndrome. It prevents us from promoting ourselves and from asking for more opportunities that will advance our career. It also plays a major role in the gender wage gap because women refuse to ask for a raise.
Sure, mentors and sponsors are invaluable for women to advance their career; however, they will not take the place of appropriately promoting your own accomplishments and ambitions.
2. Strategic Networking. Women mistakenly believe that if they work and do a good job, their hard work will get noticed and be rewarded.
I’m afraid that is not always true!
While doing an awesome job and acting professionally is favorably looked upon in the work force, in and of itself these qualities will not advance your career. You cannot be your department’s best kept secret.
Do not underestimate the value of attending happy hour and other informal networking opportunities.
Strategically network with the decision-maker(s) who can advance your career.
Find out who the decision-makers are – and who influences them. Then consciously develop a genuine relationship with them.
3. Avoid being stereotyped. Countless times I’ve seen women who have worked so hard to get a seat at the table, only to remove themselves. How? Women automatically say, “yes” when asked to take the minutes of the meeting. Or they jump up to fix the soda machine when someone says it is broken. Or they ask others if they would like a cup of coffee, as they are getting one for themselves.
I’m not suggesting women act rudely. I’m suggesting women need to consciously avoid any behavior that may inadvertently reinforce female stereotypes that will negatively impact how we are perceived.
Self-promotion, strategic networking and avoidance of any activities that will reinforce a negative stereotype are critical to a woman’s success – especially if you’re working in a male-dominated industry.
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The Place For Relationship Tools For Success In Business and Life,
Dr. Patty Ann
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