The road to success is paved with pitfalls, and it can be harder for women than men to navigate the treacherous terrain. But there are some tried-and-true tips that will help you overcome those obstacles. Here are 7 ways that women in executive roles can become better leaders:
Contents
Confidence is key
Source: tcnorth.com
Confidence is the cornerstone of all success. In fact, if you don’t have confidence, it’s impossible to be successful at anything. Confidence is a learned skill and one that can be enhanced through practice by focusing on your strengths, not your weaknesses.
Confidence is contagious. People will be drawn to those who exude an air of self-assurance because they know what they want in life and are able to achieve their goals without fear or hesitation.
Remember that your success does not depend on anyone else—it only depends on YOU!
Communicate clearly and often
Your ability to communicate effectively with your team is critical. The most important aspect of communication is clarity. The clearer you are, the easier it is for everyone on your team to understand your message and align with it. Here are some tips for communicating clearly:
- Be consistent in what you say and do—Clarity starts with being a consistent leader who can be trusted by their direct reports and peers.
- Take responsibility—When something goes wrong or there’s an issue, don’t deflect blame or point fingers at others; take responsibility yourself by saying “I” instead of “we.”
- Don’t sugarcoat bad news—Telling employees that everything is fine when it’s not builds mistrust over time because people will eventually figure out that they were lied to originally (and then feel foolish). Instead, tell employees what’s going on as soon as possible so everyone can deal with problems together rather than having them fester until there’s no hope left for improvement.
Be present
Source: thejoywithin.org
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Be present
The ability to be present is one of the most important skills for any executive, yet it’s often overlooked. It’s easy to get caught up in the day-to-day activities of your job and miss out on what’s really going on around you. This includes being aware of your own emotions and those of others, as well as being open to feedback from both internal and external sources. The following tips can help:
- Be aware of body language, tone of voice and time management skills—all are essential elements that need attention in order to be truly effective at work (and beyond).
Take a proactive approach to workplace politics
It’s important to recognize that workplace politics is a normal part of the workplace culture. As you negotiate the social environment of your team, you will have to work with others and it’s not always easy. The people who get ahead in business often use political tactics to get there, so it’s important to understand this dynamic and learn how to deal with it effectively.
The first step in taking control of workplace politics is understanding that you are not immune from its effects; even if you’re a woman in an executive role, there will be times when people seek out your support or approval for things related to their careers or projects. In many cases, these requests can be legitimate—but others may be attempts by colleagues seeking personal gain or status at your expense. By being aware of what constitutes appropriate behavior within this environment (and what doesn’t), as well as being able to identify situations where power struggles could occur between coworkers who want different outcomes from their interactions with each other (or themselves), you’ll be prepared for whatever comes your way as one person among many vying for influence within an organization
Work to improve your team’s trust in you
Source: apty.io
- When you’re working to improve the trust of your team, it is important to keep in mind that trust is a two-way street. You have to be trustworthy in order for them to trust you, but they also need to be worthy of your trust.
- Show your team that you are someone who can be trusted by being transparent and communicating honestly with them. Be open to feedback and criticism, as long as it’s constructive and useful. Also, be honest even when it hurts — if they know they can always depend on you for the truth, then their trust will only grow deeper over time instead of weakening or becoming more tenuous because there was a lack of honesty between the two parties involved (i.e., yourself).
Find your tribe
Finding your tribe is important—and not just for you, but for everyone. It’s the people who understand you and support you. Who are the women in your industry that have similar goals as yours? What companies have a culture of inclusion and diversity? Once you find those people, make sure they’re part of your inner circle.
The last thing we want to do is surround ourselves with other women who are just like us because we can’t grow if we don’t challenge ourselves by learning new things from different perspectives. The same goes for men! We need more men who are willing to step up and champion us so we all benefit from diverse leadership teams everywhere.
Seek out coaches both inside and outside your company
Source: dimercurioadvisors.com
Coaches help you figure out your voice and navigate the political landscape. They can give you career advice, help you learn from your mistakes, and lead you to grow as a leader. Executive coaching for women from a reputable company like CoachHub is invaluable because many women have been coached themselves by men who may not have understood their unique needs or circumstances and professional coaching companies can match you with the perfect coach for your unique position.
To find coaches inside your company:
- Ask around for people who might be willing to coach you (and don’t forget about other departments!)
- Look at who has been promoted recently within your department or company; these people may be good coaches because they’ve already navigated some of the challenges facing female leaders in today’s business environment
Ask your manager if he or she has any suggestions for executive coaches, or reach out to the HR department. If you’re working with a coach that isn’t making progress with you, don’t be afraid to try someone else!
As a female leader, you can make things easier for your peers by sharing your knowledge. You may feel that it would be safer or more efficient for other people to do research on their own. However, there are several reasons why sharing your information with others is actually a sign of strength and confidence in yourself rather than weakness:
- Sharing information shows that you are confident in your abilities and committed to the organization. It demonstrates that you have confidence in the project or task at hand as well as its outcome, which will inspire others to work harder on their parts as well.
- Sharing information shows that you are willing to take on new challenges—that’s how we grow!
- Sharing information shows that you are willing to learn new things—a key trait necessary for any successful executive!
The most effective leaders know how to trust their instincts and employ smart strategies to get ahead
Source: medium.com
The most effective leaders know how to trust their instincts and employ smart strategies to get ahead.
It’s important for women in executive roles to be open to feedback from others, because often, people will tell you what you need to hear, not necessarily what you want. While it’s important for leaders to have confidence in themselves and the decisions they make, it’s also critical that they listen carefully when someone has a different perspective on an issue or situation. This can help prevent mistakes from being made in the first place!
And while it’s crucial that women do not allow themselves to be intimidated by men who may be more senior than them at work, they should also remember that there are many other opportunities available outside of corporate America if this is an issue for them: consider starting your own company or going back into education where there are fewer barriers between men and women competing against each other (or even working together).
Conclusion
In addition to these tips, there are many more ways you can stay on top of your game. The more you’re willing to try new approaches and explore new strategies, the more likely it is that you’ll find one that works for you. Remember that being a leader means taking risks sometimes—but if you keep your head up high and remain confident in yourself and your ideas, they will be rewarded!
