In Sheryl Sandberg’s book, “Lean In: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead”, the lessons for women are very clear: Believe in yourself, Give up The Excuses and “lean in” and give it your all. But rather than leaning in, what if you could stand out?
What would your career look like if you were no longer afraid? Afraid to take chances, afraid to speak up or afraid to confront an issue?
To get ahead in your career there are simple steps to encourage you to pursue your ambitions and stand out in the process.
1. Up Your Confidence Level
It can be very easy to fall into a rut, especially when it comes to your self-confidence but in career management, boosting your confidence level is a sure fire way to the corner office. Some simple tips: Be prepared, put on a smile and dress the part. Do the things that make you feel good about yourself and you will create an energy that shines.. Speaking of shining, try putting on a happy face. A smile is an easy way to project confidence.
2. Break the Stereotype
Even today, women in the workplace fall into certain stereotypes. Be aware of situations that may marginalize your participation in meetings. For example, in a meeting with all male peers, and being the only woman, when conversations turned to who will take the notes, I steered the conversation away from me. Also, be sure to jump into the conversation and state your opinion in a clear and concise manner. Don’t wait to be called upon, be sure to stand out and let your knowledge and ideas shine through.
3. Don’t Back Down From a Fight
Disagreements sometimes lead to the best outcomes, so don’t back down from a fight. Confrontation is a tactic that is often used in business and a career-minded woman like you need to get into the fight. Do not be fearful of allowing your opinions to be heard even if they are different from those around you. Offer another perspective and back it with your facts.
4. Put it in Writing
Follow up is a strong trait of strong leaders. They don’t just get into the game, stir things up and walk away. They lead the game, develop the game plan and follow up to make sure the team is on the same page. A way to stand out is to recap your understanding of the meeting with clear direction of the next steps and action plan. Include milestones and responsible parties and follow up to ensure the plan is being followed. This automatically puts you in the driver seat and the more complex and visible the project is, the more recognition you will get when it goes off without a hitch.
5. Balance Your Warrior with Your Poet
Too many times, women feel they need to be over confident, aggressive and direct in order to get ahead in business. But one of our strengths is that we have a softer side that includes empathy, compassion and caring. People can be sensitive and need to feel supported and understood so don’t always come at them with a hammer. Balance your warrior with your poet and watch that balance propel you to the next level in your career.
6. Trust in Your “Mini Me”
The secret power all women posses over men is their intuition. I call it your magic power and your ability to sense moves and opportunities in advance. Your inner voice can be a valuable asset for you and if harnessed correctly, can be the driving force that moves you forward in your career. Trust your instincts and trust in yourself.