Women Entrepreneurs & 5 Basic Behavioural Gaps at Work Place
Women have made a lot of strides in recent years that have narrowed the gender gap in the modern workplace and also at the entrepreneurial front. But we are not there yet — women can and should be stepping up and taking a stand for themselves in their respective fields to close that gap even further.
Focusing only on performance: Women mistakenly believe that their performance at work is the most important factor in moving up the ladder. In reality, women & their advancement depends on three factors: performance, image and exposure. Performance only constitutes about 10 percent of what will boost your success.
Image — the way you present yourself to others as a professional — is 30 percent, and exposure to the right people and opportunities is 60 percent.
Staying silent: From a young age, many women are taught to be polite and deferential to others. They may fear that by voicing their opinions, they will be seen as too argumentative or aggressive. However, silence can easily be mistaken for disengagement, so it is better to risk it if you want to be taken seriously in the work arena.
Competing with (instead of supporting) other women: Women can be quick to tear down their fellow females in order to get ahead, but this is not a good strategy. You don’t need to be best friends with every woman in your work space, but you should make an effort to stick together and help someone else reach her career goals if you’re able to. McDonnell rightly says & quotes: Be team players, leaders, mentors. Be knowledgeable, be prepared, be committed.
Not making time to network: Networking is a key tool for all looking to advance their careers. If you’re not making this a priority, you could be missing out on great connections and opportunities that could help you move up. Many women are so busy accomplishing tasks, they do not take the time to network. Communicating well, being comfortable with yourself and learning to socially influence others are important skills.
Giving up after a failure: Women should be retraining their brains to not accept a negative response or critique as the absolute end of a conversation. Determination, conscientiousness and persistence are qualities that are necessary for success.