As an author and speaker, I’ve had the extraordinary
opportunity to travel around the world and speak with successful women on
six continents. From Mumbai to Manhattan, Cape Town to Chicago, women’s
appearance may differ, but their strategies for success have a great deal in
common.
On a recent speaking tour through India, I was asked by
a young female journalist, “Do you find similarities among women around the
world—in their challenges to be successful and their strategies for
leadership success?” I thought it an excellent question, and the answer is,
“Yes!”
Here are best practices women around the world share,
along with specific strategies women everywhere can use to follow suit…
BUILD CREDIBILITY
When FastCompany recently asked, “Who has more
credibility, men or women?” more than 80 percent felt men were perceived as
more credible in the workplace. That’s not altogether surprising. Due to
social conditioning, women often miss opportunities to take the initiative
and earn recognition for their accomplishments. To increase your visibility
and boost credibility:
- Seek out mentors who are aligned with your
aspirations. Decades of studies offer solid proof that mentored individuals
enjoy a host of perks: They perform better on the job, advance more rapidly
within an organization, report higher job and career satisfaction and
express lower turnover intentions than their non-mentored counterparts.
Not surprisingly, researchers have also found that
mentors can be especially beneficial to women. Like it or not, when it comes
to breaking through the proverbial glass ceiling and achieving coveted jobs
traditionally held by men, women still need an extra push—and having a
mentor can make a huge difference.
Whatever your goals, look for someone who’s “been
there, done that,” and having already walked in your shoes can show you the
ropes. Remember, too, that mentors don’t have to be from the same industry,
gender or generation.
- Better yet, find a sponsor. Recent research conducted
by The Center for Talent Innovation reveals that when it comes to career
mobility, sponsorship trumps mentorship. What’s the difference between the
two? Mentors typically provide support, guidance and feedback when needed,
as well as serve as sounding boards, cheerleaders, role models and
confidants. Sponsors, on the other hand, take mentoring to a whole new level
by advocating on your behalf, connecting you to key players in your
company/industry and helping you land plum assignments—thus increasing your
visibility.
Finding a sponsor can be more challenging than finding
a mentor. You need to earn this kind of investment by demonstrating that you
can deliver outstanding performance. Moreover, you must consistently make
your sponsor look good. Many companies have begun to create paths to
sponsorship, so if yours does, step up and get involved. If not, work on
aligning yourself with someone who has power and influence in your area of
expertise, take the time to prove your worth to him/her, then initiate a
discussion regarding potential sponsorship.
- Ask for what you want and the resources you need.
Women tend to feel uncomfortable asking for what they want and need. We
worry we’ll be perceived as aggressive or selfish. Get over it. Men do it
all the time, and besides, if it’s a reasonable request and affects the
bottom line, the answer will almost always be yes.
Of course, getting to yes often means waiting for the
right opportunity to ask for what you want. Avoid negotiating when you’re
emotional or when you catch your manager off-guard. Instead, set up an
appropriate meeting time when you have your thoughts collected. Also, do
your homework. Know exactly what you want or need, why it’s necessary—or why
you’ve earned it (be prepared to back up your thoughts with data and
statistics)—and be ready to list the benefits that will result from having
your request granted.
- Take risks. The very word often scares women, mostly
for fear of failure, but if you merely march in place, you face an even
greater risk of becoming obsolete. Studies show that people assume men
naturally want to take on challenges, but women often have to seek them out.
So, raise your hand, even if doing so feels out of your comfort zone. Taking
the more difficult path is what will get you noticed.
- Take credit for your accomplishments. One trait that
many women wear openly is modesty—not owning or drawing attention to their
accomplishments. This is a losing strategy. While arrogance is unattractive
in any gender, owning your accomplishments and stepping into your power will
always get you noticed, regardless of gender.
COMMUNICATE WITH CLOUT
In survey after survey, the number one skill determined
to be indispensable to leaders is communication. So, to truly shine and
succeed, you must be able to speak the language of power. The good news is,
you don’t have to be a great orator to develop a compelling communication
style all your own. In fact, leadership works best when it’s authentic. But
there are common threads that set effective leaders apart, allowing them to
command attention and get results…
- Remember the 3 Cs: Clear, Concise and Confident. The
tiniest details can make or break how you are perceived as a leader, and
choice of words is a biggie. If you want your message to be heard, you need
to keep it simple and straightforward. This isn’t to say you need to “dumb
it down,” but forget the thesaurus and use words and phrases that most
people can understand and relate to. This rule of thumb holds true
regardless of your audience—be it board members, clients, colleagues or your
team.
- Cultivate a voice of credibility. Ditch the hedges,
qualifiers, fillers and tentative language that can be distracting and
undermine the impact of your statements. Also, pay attention to the tone of
your voice. Use declarative sentences and avoid ending statements with a
question mark unless they are truly questions.
- Learn to speak so people will listen. Powerful people
know what they want to say and say it concisely and precisely. Always lead
with the executive summary, speak in bullet points and don’t stray from your
focus.
- Be inquisitive, and then listen like you mean it.
It’s a no-brainer that asking questions is critical for gathering
information, soliciting feedback and clarifying what others are thinking—all
important building blocks of the decision-making process. But smart leaders
know that zipping their lips after asking questions is equally important, as
is looking someone in the eye, refraining from interrupting and even
slightly tilting your head to assure others that they are being heard—and
understood. As politician Dean Rusk once put it, “The best way to persuade
others is by your ears, by listening to them.”
- Know what to say when someone challenges your
authority. Stay cool and calm and use phrases such as “You’ve given me a lot
to think about, so let me get back to you” or “I appreciate you raising this
point, and I’ll think it over.” This allows you to exit tough conversations
gracefully.
HAVE EXECUTIVE PRESENCE
Headhunters estimate that, on average, executive
presence accounts for as much as 70 percent of first impressions we make.
But that figure applies to men. Throw a highly qualified female into the
mix, and that figure can soar to as high as 85 percent! What’s more, studies
say that executive presence matters as much as—maybe even more
than—impeccable credentials and an impressive track record.
What exactly is executive presence? In a nutshell, it’s
charisma coupled with confidence, knowledge, and character. When leaders
with executive presence speak, people listen—because their words project
conviction and authenticity. Here’s the good news: Executive presence is not
something you’re born with. You can develop and cultivate it. Here’s how to
convey that special quality of leadership:
- Enter a room with a sense of purpose and aplomb (even
if it’s feigned at first). Graciously shake people’s hands and engage in
small talk to forge immediate personal connections. When speaking, stand (or
sit) tall, maintain good eye contact and use appropriate gestures to
emphasize points you want to make. When your words and body language are out
of alignment, you won’t inspire or motivate anyone. Remember that confidence
is all about perception—and acting confident is the first step to feeling
that way.
- Don’t leave a meeting without contributing to the
discussion. Most people come to meetings as spectators and haven’t thought
much about making a contribution. If you plan ahead with some well
thought-out remarks, you’re way ahead of the curve and will gain recognition
from others.
- Don’t be afraid to ask questions. Making inaccurate
assumptions for fear of being perceived as ignorant can be far more damaging
than taking time and making the effort to thoroughly understand what’s being
discussed.
- Convey passion. Your words may be eloquent and
inspiring and your body language spot-on, but it’s your passion for an idea
or topic that will ultimately persuade others to buy into your message. When
you’re viewed as committed to what you’re saying, it’s easier to get folks
fired up. Moreover, passion has been shown to increase a leader’s
credibility tenfold.
- Be a chameleon. Powerful leaders don’t rely on a
single communication style; instead, most are “bilingual.” This technique
involves figuring out exactly what you’re trying to accomplish, knowing your
audience and then adjusting your communication style accordingly. Harvard
University researcher Sarah McGinty breaks this concept down into two basic
language styles. Talking “from the center” is a more traditional style where
the leader is “at the front of the pack and leading everyone across the
ice,” she explains. It’s a style you’d use when you need to take control of
a problem or sound credible on a particular topic. On the flip side,
language “from the edge” is best used when “you aren’t leading the troops
over the barricades. You aren’t at the center of things, but you can still
be powerful on the edge by asking questions, summarizing what you’ve heard
and checking that everyone’s understanding of a subject is the same,”
McGinty explains.
- Engage! Exceptional leaders often tell meaningful
stories or share personal anecdotes to connect with others and drive home
primary points. They know that using language to “paint a picture” of an
idea or collective goal fuels the imagination and unites ideas with
emotions. Research reveals that when we can envision what someone is talking
about, the image lasts far longer than the words spoken. Even better, a good
story has been shown not only to inspire enduring enthusiasm for a cause,
but spark people to action. And that’s music to any leader’s ears.
About Connie Glaser
Connie Glaser is the country's leading expert on
Women's Leadership, Diversity and Communications and a recipient of
DiversityBusiness.com’s 2013 “Champions of
Diversity” Award. A best- selling author and columnist, Glaser has appeared
on The Today Show, CNN, and NBC Nightly News. A dynamic speaker, Connie has
keynoted at top leadership forums around the globe with clients including
FedEx, AT&T, Time Warner, McKinsey, Johnson & Johnson, Xerox, ESPN,
PricewaterhouseCoopers, and the U.S. Navy.
www.connieglaser.com
| Contact: |
Connie Glaser |Best-Selling
Author and Syndicated Columnist |
770.804.9290 |
connie@connieglaser.com | website:
www.connieglaser.com
|
Ranked #1 "Expert Speaker on Women and Leadership" on Google |
|