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Some of the barriers that stand between women and their goals are self-imposed or self-made, says career advisor Vera Ng’oma
Glass ceilings! Every professional woman knows they exist but hopes that someday getting to the top will not be such an arduous journey. Although, there is a gradual increase in the number of women rising to top ranks, unfortunately this is not happening quickly enough. Moreover, some of the barriers that stand between women and the sights they set themselves are self-imposed or self-made. Many women put a lid on themselves by staying in their comfort zone, letting opportunities pass them by and letting their fears get the better of them.
Another big misstep many women make is being so fixated on the ‘’ceiling’’ so much so that they don’t see clearly the way and end up tripping over themselves needlessly. Looking up all the time instead of looking ahead prevents you from focusing on the journey ahead and doing whatever it takes to succeed. Stop believing that the reason you have not reached the heights you desire is because of a glass ceiling that you have no part in.
To reset yourself on the right path and garner the appropriate pace to your advancement, by all means hold your head high but also look around you and do the whole nine yards with the following key actions.
Without firm foundations, you have no chance of that ceiling holding up long enough for you to break through it.
Without firm foundations, you have no chance of that ceiling holding up long enough for you to break through it. You can do this by starting with a set of bold career goals and a plan to achieve these goals so that you’re not just shooting in the dark. Develop skill-sets required for where you wish to go. Develop awareness of your positive personal characteristics and how to use them to seed your success. Be intentional about the choices you make and remove things that clutter your path, distract you and slow you down. Build strategic relationships rather than do what women typically do, which is to stick with the relationships they know and enjoy. Actively seek opportunities that will help you grow and increase your profile. There’s no guarantee that everything you do will be successful but having a firm foundation, working hard and never giving up will position you well to fully stretch and move forward.
Obstacles are sure to come in your quest for success and it may feel like the walls are caving in. Just as with setting strong foundations, having the capacity to survive the long haul will help you outlive any challenges. The journey upwards requires a huge dose of confidence, persistence and perseverance and a strong will and ability to bounce back. Don’t ever act like a victim or default to taking the easy option in a tough situation. Keep facing your fears. Don’t just go after the things you believe you have a solid chance to achieve but decide that where you even have a small chance, you’ll go for it and keep chipping away. Be resilient and have an attitude of ‘’this is not going to beat me’’
Stop hedging your bets because there’s no way to achieve your best if you stay only with what feels safe. Be willing and ready to journey into the unknown and to work through uncertainty. Let your actions show that you want to go places and will pay the price. Don’t let a lack of confidence, being pigeonholed or having small ambitions steer you into taking on support roles instead of going for front row assignments. Experiment and learn from both your positive and negative experiences. You deserve to give yourself every possible opportunity to do what will fulfil and advance you.
It’s not enough to have the mettle to advance; you have to package yourself and deliver performance that earns people’s trust and confidence. Show that you have the combination of shine and substance. Develop a strong reputation. Be intellectually credible. Get knowledgeable so that you are able to engage with a variety of issues and with a range of people. Unfortunately women suffer from being perceived as not understanding the critical things in business or what makes an organization succeed. Counter this by knowing your stuff, communicating and articulating well your ideas in meetings and other open forums. Give people a huge expectation of what you can deliver and exceed that. Continuously demonstrate the unique value you offer. Let your character and integrity shine through all you do. Don’t ever compromise your values.
Don’t let the story of other women’s experiences or the history of what women’s advancement has been determine how you view your own possibilities. Be willing to forge new paths and ask yourself the questions that will challenge your assumptions and any conventional wisdom that may be holding you back. If you have ambitions to rise higher, you can’t do so on ‘’usual thinking’’. In any situation, don’t focus on ‘’what happened’’ but what you could make happen going forward with the right mindset and attitude. Never be afraid to roll up your sleeves and do what’s required. Ensure you are constantly learning so that you remain relevant and walk tall. Don’t be scared to take on roles that scare you. Embrace those because they will help you lift your game to a higher level. Roses come with thorns but the thorns never overshadow the beautiful bloom
Want to unleash your ambition to become a woman going to the top? Start today and keep your eye on the whole stretch, not just the destination. And if you don’t stop, you will eventually reach where you aspire to.
Vera Ng’omaleads EXCELLICAgroup, an organization dedicated to promoting and developing excellence in leadership, career and people development. Vera works with organizations and individuals to equip them to elevate their performance, achieve their goals and expand their impact. Contact Verangoma@gmail.com
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