As a woman living in the developed world I feel very privileged. I am a part of a modern society in which every member has equal rights to build a career in any chosen industry. The career opportunities for women are endless, regardless of gender, ethnicity or age.
So, why aren’t there more women in business? Women outnumber men in college, women-owned businesses are everywhere and although women are often depicted as too emotional to be in business, research shows that men and women are equally good at mastering emotional intelligence.
Although legally women and men can be equal parties in business, there still seems to be the perception that man are better at advancing at their career. Here are 5 career and business success tips for women to help you in the race to the top.
1. Find your inner motivation
Motivation, ambition and commitment – the difference between women who strive to be on the top and the women who reach the top. Women who reach incredible success don’t just accept their lot. They fight to be heard, they challenge the status quo and they never give up when facing difficult circumstances.
Find what makes you motivated, ambitious and committed. What gives you that inner strength to keep fighting? Find what that thing is and refer to it every time you need to remind yourself why you are still in the game.
2. Choose greatness
Never think that being good at what you do is enough. Don’t settle for the way things are because you will miss the opportunity to become phenomenal. Adopt the motto my dad thought me as a child: “Good, better, best, never let it rest; until your good is better and your better is your best”.
Choose greatness, be phenomenal and you will attract phenomenal things in your life and your career.
3. Blow your own horn
As a marketing consultant I believe that promoting yourself is one of the key activities when reaching the top of your career. Instead of waiting for people to recognise your work, be proactive and take credit for your achievements. It doesn’t mean you need to be in anyone’s face and it doesn’t mean that you need to be cocky about your work; it means that you need to take a straightforward approach when fighting for that promotion at work.
4. Use your best skills to stand out from the crowd
We don’ have to be best at everything we do at work to stand out. However, we need to recognise the strongest skills in our skill set and use them in the most beneficial way. Are you a confident communicator to present the next pitch? Are you good with people? Are you the most creative person when solving organisational problems? Find the personal or professional traits which set you apart and make sure you use them in a way which brings you that much closer to where you want to be in your career.
5. Don’t apologise for your feelings
It is my observation that when a business woman demonstrates assertive qualities she is depicted as overly-emotional and unreasonable. Most of the time women tend to apologise for the way they take decisions or deal with situations because they are scared of the perceived assumptions about their behaviour. Stop apologising for the way you feel when facing difficult situations as long you deal with the situations fairly and professionally. Don’t allow emotion to take over you but equally don’t apologise for the way you feel as long as it comes from a good place and a genuine desire to help.
So what is the bottom line?
Your career success depends on you. It is up to you to decide if you are going to be a professional woman in business who plays it nice or you are going to be a real go-getter and lead the way for the future generation of women in business. Find the inner power within you to take you to a new career high. Believe that you are an unique professional who has a lot to offer and don’t be scared to act in a way which is straightforward and ambitious. Be fearless, the world needs more women like you.
