6 ways for Women to prepare for Leadership Roles
As a female advancing in a management and leadership role, you may have asked yourself, “ How do I get the respect I deserve? How am I going to keep everyone on side? How do I balance my career ambitions with my personal life?
There is also a lot of labelling, for example, if a woman is passionate, this can be labelled as being emotional or over the top, or if she is assertive she can be too pushy or aggressive.
For those of you who have started on this journey – having the skills to be assertive, direct, passionate and decisive in ways that get co-operation from others is key to how quickly you achieve success.
Follow these steps to guide you on your journey:
One: Personal Style – Get feedback from a friend who can be honest with you about your ‘tone’ – check that you are communicating your point of view in a way that is respected and promotes self-confidence
Two – Beliefs & Self Talk – Write down the helpful and unhelpful things you say to yourself so that you can support your actions with more realistic thinking
Three – Time Management – Be clear on the difference between importance vs urgency and learn to say ‘No’ to achieve a healthier lifestyle
Four – Negotiate to achieve a Win:Win – Decide what outcome you absolutely ‘need’ vs what you ‘want’ and always express to others what you believe is the best outcome for the business
Five – Handling Conflict – Listen to what’s really going on for others and what they actually ‘need’. Acknowledge others position and avoid use of the word ‘BUT’
Six – Manage Meetings – Beforehand brief attendees on what is expected of them at the meeting. Remind them again at the start. Be prepared to interrupt and remind them again if it goes off course.
