Women owning their success - it's about embracing, celebrating, and recognising achievements without attributing it to external help, luck, or timing.

When women completely embody their success, the way they see themselves and the way others see them changes. It inspires others, builds confidence, challenges old notions, and creates a safe space for others to embrace the same, laying the groundwork for more inclusive leadership, visibility, and impact across industries.

Breaking Barriers and Defying Expectations

Regardless of the progress made, women still grapple against challenges and barriers on their leadership path. From gender norms and systemic bias to lack of representation, women often experience impediments that hinder their advancement and limit their growth opportunities.

While experience and skills play an important role, leadership requires a shift in how women see themselves and are seen by others. Building a safe environment of support, learning and emotional stability will help women foster their leadership identity and boost confidence.

These solutions help women develop a strong sense of leadership, purpose, and identity, enabling them to overcome barriers and thrive in leadership roles.

The Power of Female Leadership

Women leaders play an essential role in shaping the future. They cultivate inclusion, inspire innovation, and encourage positive change in business and society. They pave the way by breaking gender stereotypes and championing gender equality making the world a more diverse and prosperous place to live.

Women are investing in each other more than ever before.  

Women in business, tech, and finance are investing more in women-owned, women-run, and women-founded businesses, thereby creating space, communities, and network where they prioritise each other and uplift one another championing collaboration over competition.

Networking and mentorship play a vital role to support and help women succeed. A recommendation, conversation, and encouragement make a lot of difference creating a power ripple effect helping women grow and step into their potential.

As women continue to rise and uplift one another, its equally important to recognise the value of self-advocacy and confidence in navigating their personal and professional journeys.

The Importance of Self-Advocacy and Confidence

Self-advocacy being a crucial part of career development and advancement is something women find difficult to achieve. Society often teaches women to be humble and lets their achievements speak for themselves, but this mindset isn't enough to get ahead at work.

Women need to feel supported and safe in their environment to build the confidence required for self-promotion. They must feel comfortable asking for what they want and advocating for their own success.

Here are a few ways women can embrace self-advocacy at work:

1. Own your Achievements: Acknowledge your success, no matter how big or small. This builds confidence in sharing your achievements with others.

2. Seek Out New Opportunities: Women should feel empowered to actively pursue new opportunities. Be proactive in asking for challenging projects or responsibilities that align with your skills and career goals.

In her book, “Good Power: Leading Positive Change in Our Lives, Work, and World”, Ginni Rometty, Former CEO of IBM emphasised,

“I learned to always take on things I’d never done before. Growth and comfort do not coexist.”

In a recent Panelle Talks podcast, Elaine Page, Former Chief People Office at Tax Jar highlighted the importance of taking opportunities,

“Take an opportunity that comes your way. Just don’t ask, just jump on and try.”

These insights help in highlighting the importance of stepping outside your comfort zone, thereby challenging yourself to reach your full potential.

3. Ask for Feedback: Asking for constructive feedback on a regular basis helps you grow and shows that you are invested in learning and improving your skills.

4. Negotiate Salary and Benefits: Understand your worth and the value you've brought to the company. Be prepared to demonstrate your contributions and achievements, showing your boss what you’ve accomplished. This will help you effectively advocate for a salary increase and better benefits.

5. Build Boundaries: Advocate for your work-life balance and mental health. Being clear about your needs for flexibility or time off will enable you to thrive both personally and professionally.

The Ripple Effect of Women's Success

Women supporting each other, acting as mentors, and collaborating with one another creates a ripple effect that shapes the future of industries, communities, and societies.

When women see other women stepping into leadership roles, breaking barriers and stereotypes, they begin to believe that it is possible for them to do the same too. This belief, possibility motivates them to aim higher, take on new challenges, and step into positions of power and leadership. This results in a more diverse landscape that reflects the realities of the world we live in.

When empowered and supported, women bring in new innovations, perspectives, and unique problem-solving approaches which fuel creativity. The saga shifts when success is no longer a limiting resource but something that can be shared when women succeed and uplift each other.

A culture of inclusion and empowerment is fostered, inspiring the next generation of leaders. Young girls and women will look up to these role models and envision themselves in positions of leadership, innovation, and success.

Embracing Feminine Traits

Women bring empathy, collaboration, and intuition. These qualities nurture an understanding and inclusive environment. By embracing qualities such as emotional intelligence and cooperative leadership, women are redefining what it means to lead and drive change.

As Elaine Page, Former Chief People Office at Tax Jar, puts it:

“Every decision you make isn’t always going to come to you in a perfect wrapped bow with everything figured out. But I think I have a lot of compassion when I’m in those rooms. I have empathy for the people making those decisions. One phrase people who work with me hear me say a lot is 'let me give you my best and most reasoned judgment I can. Let me be truthful, let me be authentic'. And if you’re those things all the time, then I think you can really enable a business to thrive.”

As women continue to break through barriers and stereotypes, they pave the way for future generations of leaders to step into their power, proving that leadership is shaped by a blend of skills, perspectives, and experiences.

It is crucial to continue advocating for an environment where women can fully own their success, step into leadership roles, and create a ripple effect that inspires others. Pushing for more gender diversity in leadership not only benefits the women who take on those roles but also fosters a more innovative and resilient environment.

Supporting women contributes to stronger, more diverse communities and creates a lasting impact on the world.

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