The Business of Being a Woman

As a woman in the workforce, there is one point I wanted to bring up . . .  Many times the reason that we don’t get what we want or need is because we don’t ask for it.

That’s a hard pill to swallow, I know. But how many times have you given up, decided not to stand your ground, sold out on an great idea, walked away from a challenge or allowed yourself to be bullied by the middle management mindset of “team mates” that if you ask for help you’re really just complaining. We have to, at some point in our career, walk away from the “By the way did you get that work done so we can take credit for it?” schlubs that guilt us into believing that the only way to make it to the top is if we sacrifice our souls to play by their politics.

When it comes to business, if we as women speak up or stand our ground for what we know is right, we’re considered to be the bitch. If we work hard and go above and beyond, our “team mates” get pissed because we raised the bar *gasp* and they may actually have to do some work. Or worse, our boss/client takes advantage of our time and talent with little or no pay or thanks. I have heard women lament that when it comes to business we are marginalized as just another pretty face, the bitch that speaks her mind or ignored completely.

How often do we not speak up or stand our ground and ask ourselves “Did I not ask for overage on that project because I don’t want to damage the relationship?” “Do they not respect my ideas because I’m woman and not part of the ‘good ole boy’ club? – “Am I afraid that if I push too hard people will see me as a bitch instead of a business woman?” I could go on with these questions, but I think you get my point.

Maybe the reason we have too few female leaders in the world is because we, as women, underestimate our own abilities.

This TED talk by Sheryl Sandberg, Chief Operating Officer at Facebook, drives it home that as a woman in business – it is up to us to keep our hand up, to sit at the table and to keep reaching for and exceeding our goals as leaders in our communities. Even though many may say that Female Leadership is Stalled and Going Backwards, it is up to us to expand The 16 Percenters club.

Looking for a little more inspiration? Here is some Killer Career Advice From Women Who Lead By Example.

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What is your biggest challenge in the business of being a woman?