Practical Strategies for WOmanpower of 2023

Gender equality in the workplace has been a rallying cry, with women still facing barriers to advancement and recognition in many industries and countries. A survey by JP Morgen women being hugely under-represented in high-growth businesses across Asia Pacific, with only 5.7% being founded, led or managed by women at the end of 2021.

“The shock of the pandemic has shaken 30 years of gender equality gains and deepened pre-existing inequalities for diverse women in some parts of the world”, cited by Paulette Senior, President and CEO, Canadian Women’s Foundation in October 2021. “Gender equality is growing more distant. On the current track, UN Women puts it 300 years away,” UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres said in a general assembly speech ahead of International Women’s Day on 8 March. This has yet once again, proven the urgency of calling for gender justice in mankind.

For all that we know, gender equality is intrinsically linked to sustainable development and is indispensable to the realization of human rights. The overall goal of gender equality is a society in which women and men enjoy the same opportunities, rights and obligations in all spheres of life. While we are pushing for closing gender gap soonest possible, we are encouraging women to step up to realize their full potential and rights to take on roles that are not commonly assigned to them.

This post offers some practical strategies for women to empower themselves in the workplace, embrace their uniqueness, build their personal brand, and persist in their self-improvement journey in a VUCA world.

Have Self-Compassion

In the course of their professional life, some women make conscious choice to prioritize domestic responsibilities over career progression, taking a few years out of work to focus on family, as influenced by the societal expectation of them. Unfortunately, some return to work feeling that they have lagged behind their male peers and not being able to catch up in terms of skills, compensation or advancement. They then either work themselves overboard or start to lose self-confidence. But an individual’s success in life is not solely measured by the success in the careers, so women need to learn to be fair to themselves. Women tend to be their own worst critics, being hard on themselves and wanting to do it all, being afraid of disappointment. Little do they accept the fact that it is absolutely okay not to be able to do it all. They must remember to give themselves permission to take a break and be kind, and forgiving in the process.

Hold on to Your Uniqueness

“Don’t be pressured to adopt stereotypically male attributes in order to fit in or progress” would be a key message to be shared among women leaders. Instead, they should constantly reflect and identify their own strengths and capitalize on them, even if they are different from what is conventionally viewed as necessary traits for success.

In the words of Ms Eva van Pelt, Co-CEO of Life Sciences company Eppendorf, “don’t play it like the boys… allowing yourself to show emotions and vulnerability, you will develop your leadership style to be more humane.” Echoing today’s best and most recognised leadership traits i.e. empathetic and inspiring characteristics, these are no longer uniquely possessed and demonstrated by male leaders. Thus, there is another better reason for women to be proud of who they are and what they are.

Build Differentiating Proposition

Women need to start thinking about showcasing their strength and accomplishments and develop a clear professional identity, because a strong personal brand can help women establish themselves as a credible and influential leader. Finding a differentiating factor, the one thing that sets them apart and tell the world, their stories, in a truthful and humane way. More importantly, a differentiated proposition would allow them to inspire and influence more young female employees in the workplace as a role model and show them their career development is not to be compromised and hence not limited as long as they aspire to, in which helps to speed up the progress of gender equality.

Persist in Self-Improvement

In the current Volatile, Uncertain, Complex, Ambiguous and Hyper-connected (VUCAH) world, one needs to continuously develop, be adaptable and agile, in order to survive and thrive. Regularly seeking critical and constructive feedback to develop a deeper understanding of self awareness, it helps to reflect on their own areas for development and take full charge of mapping out a clear and structured development plan for themselves. They shall not be afraid of trying new things, challenging the status quo or taking the road less travelled, especially for those who are confined by social norms. Embracing challenges and changes in life often strengthens oneself in all aspects. On the other hand, it is better to have tried and failed than not to at all. Afterall, a bad experience is a good experience in life!

Lead a purposeful life, WOmanpower!

Women can achieve success in their professional lives by being kind and compassionate to themselves, embracing their uniqueness, and building a strong personal brand that showcases their strengths and accomplishments. It's important for women to persist in their self-improvement journey, seek constructive feedback, and not be afraid to try new things or take the road less travelled. By adopting these strategies, women can navigate the challenges of a VUCA world, take full ownership of their future development and achieve their career goals while also maintaining a sense of balance and well-being in their personal lives. Eventually, they can lead a life of their own that is not defined by tradition.

To all women in the world, be the game changer and dare to dream for the day that International Women Day becomes history!