« A woman with vision is a businesswoman, a woman with ambition is a leader. »
— Unknown
Are women leaders less competitive than men?
In fact, there is no clear consensus on this question, as attitudes and behaviors can vary greatly depending on the company culture, social norms, or individual characteristics.
Throughout my practice, I have identified 9 key points to address when supporting women leaders, whether through individual coaching or group workshops.
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Dare to sell yourself, dare to ask
More and more, women leaders are called upon to claim their place with confidence and determination. To dare to sell themselves and to ask, they must clarify their ambitions by prioritizing their values and needs. To do this, identifying their strengths and communicating them regularly, taking a step back, and adopting a strategic approach to their target will help them better showcase their talents.
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Dare to talk about compensation
Addressing the issue of compensation remains a sensitive topic for women. To help them feel more confident, I encourage them to prepare their arguments by highlighting their achievements and skills, and then choose the right moment to discuss it with their manager. By relying on salary standards and being ready to negotiate, they can assert their true worth while promoting pay equity. They must also be more persistent and show that they will not back down.
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Strengthening assertiveness
Speaking with assertiveness means expressing your point of view with confidence while respecting the other person’s. Learning to master this powerful tool can be crucial for making your voice heard in a professional environment that may sometimes be discriminatory. I recommend they never give up on the core issue, always maintain the connection, and revisit the topic at a more opportune time if necessary.
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Biases against women
Identifying and challenging their limiting beliefs is also essential to unlocking their full potential and overcoming potential obstacles. They must also learn to cultivate self-confidence and question the stereotypes about them, for example, by recalling their three most recent major successes every week or month. Finally, setting ambitious goals and working to achieve them is key to proving it to themselves!
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Strengthening coopetition
Coopetition combines cooperation and competition to achieve common goals. Temporarily partnering with competitors helps strengthen internal collaboration, thereby reducing silos. It also brings out synergies and creates more opportunities for positive influence. Coopetition fosters an environment of mutual learning, enabling women to break through glass ceilings together.
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Networking
Networking allows them to build professional connections, access career opportunities, and benefit from the support of peers, mentors, and reverse mentors. By developing a strong network, women can access valuable information and resources, receive advice and diverse perspectives, and make themselves known and recognized for their skills and achievements.
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Mentoring and reverse mentoring
Encouraging mentoring from more experienced individuals or, conversely, from younger ones familiar with AI and the new world is always a good strategy for gaining support, advice, and professional development opportunities. For women in particular, mentors—whether male or female—can play a crucial role in helping them overcome specific obstacles, encouraging them to take calculated risks, and assisting in the development of their self-confidence and leadership skills.
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Self-marketing
Personal branding and storytelling are excellent tools for showcasing their skills and expertise in an authentic and compelling manner, thereby strengthening their credibility and influence within the company. Their professional online presence through platforms such as LinkedIn or participation in conferences allows women leaders to share their journeys, achievements, and perspectives, thereby enhancing their visibility and impact in their field of expertise.
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Healthy narcissism: taking care of oneself and one’s career
I strongly encourage the women I work with to take care of their careers. While women often excel in caring for their appearance and health, they do not spend enough time building their personal brand and planning their next job. This involves taking a step back, sometimes being less perfectionistic, better empowering their teams, and even being more assertive about saying no to certain tasks or deadlines. Taking care of one’s physical and mental health, as well as one’s career, is key to success.
All these measures are crucial for women to dare claim there place in a predominantly male-dominated world, finding the right balance along the way!
#womenleadership #influence #governance #collaboration #diversity
To go further:
The McKinsey report Women in the Workplace 2018 highlights that women are less likely to be promoted to the position of CEO compared to men.
The Grant Thornton report Women in Business: The Global Report 2020 shows that women hold only 28.8% of seats globally.
Ladies, consider leveraging the influence of men to succeed by developing strategic alliances with them! You can also encourage them to use their influence to create equitable opportunities for everyone and to support the advancement of women in your company.
As women, take time to define your top 3 development areas to tackle your challenges, and dare to ask for coaching or training if you feel the need!