My Top 10 Tips for Women in the Workplace: Been There, Learned This

I love to coach. I find that many of my Ah-Ha moments from coaching arise from reflections during my career. Perhaps because of my gender, and the absence of other women in a similar role in my industry, I enjoy discovering talented women to coach and support. Margaret Thatcher’s promise that “there is a special place in hell for women that don’t help other women” is never far from my mind.  While out on a (fast) run today, I recalled words of advice that I have shared with other women. Since I always encourage my team to “write it down,” as the act of putting pen to paper formalizes the commitment, I now want to share more broadly a list of my top 10 suggestions.

1.      Embrace what you think you cannot do. My career has progressed by taking risks. I gave up practicing law to manage a sales organization even when I did not think that I had the skills to do it. After confessing repeatedly to the hiring leader that I doubted that I could perform the job responsibilities and he should not hire me, I tried the role anyway and discovered that I did have the skills to do it. Remember: if it doesn’t work, there’s always a Plan B (and C, D, and E). Create back-up options for yourself but first, give yourself a chance to succeed.

2.      Take the time to create and practice your introduction: name, title, and what you do. You don’t have another chance for a second impression and presenting a strong, confident introduction sets the tone from the beginning. Master written and oral communication skills. Consultants such as Decker and RADA provided excellent training for me.

3.      Speak in numbers. There is no better way to make a point and show what you have done. A mentor of mine said he never met a single investor interested in activities per share.

4.      Project confidence in all you do and practice fearlessness. There have been many times in my career that I have had a knot in my stomach or doubted myself or my ability. What I learned as a young lawyer, however, was to put to rest any self-doubts, put on my game face, and move forward.  9 times out of 10, I was my own worst enemy.

5.      Don’t take it personally. When people make what may seem to be patronizing or condescending remarks, don’t take it personally. I use humor to diffuse difficult situations and have thick skin.  Try it.

6.      Grow your network and lean on them. Allow yourself to be vulnerable and lean on a core group of people. Choose wisely but then be candid in sharing your thoughts with them. Cultivating a network across industries, generations, and countries has provided extraordinary support and counsel for me.

7.      Play to your strengths. Realize that what you are good at is often invisible to you, since it generally comes easily. Listen to what others tell you and do your homework. I love Gallup Strength Finders. [My top 5 strengths: Achiever, Focus, Strategic, Learner, and Analytical.] Pay attention to those things on your calendar that excite you and be mindful of what you dread. Build a career that allows you to play to your strengths and at which you will excel.

8.      Build a board of directors for your career. I get asked all of the time if I have a mentor or a role model; I have a board. Build your board deliberately and help them help you. My board consists of mentors, sponsors, and coaches. I rely on different directors for different needs.

9.      Advocate for you. Nobody else will do it for you in the same way. Create your own agenda: know what you are and what you want for your career and advocate for it.  Ask for and take advantage of opportunities.

10.  Bring your authentic self.   It is not easy to strike a balance between your private and public self at work. What I have learned, however, is how important it is to apply your whole self to a situation while deciding how much and when to share with others.

My Top 10 list could very easily be much longer. Perhaps that will be fodder for a follow up article.  I have been fortunate to have learned first-hand much of these suggestions through many different experiences. If I am able to make just one reader think a little bit harder, walk a bit taller, and laugh a bit more; this article truly served its purpose.  

Jessica Poliner is a transformational leader with a history of leading geographically dispersed and culturally diverse industrial businesses. She is also a long-time (fast) runner.