The ’emperor’ (of women’s professional development) – flattered by tv talk shows, heralded in the news and making appearances at fancy banquets — has been proven to have no clothes. No clothes, no substance, no results.
More than a decade ago, the percentage of women in high leadership positions was at an unacceptable 17%. Today, many women are shocked to learn that this number is still hovering around 17%.
Yes, it’s now 2016 and we have a female contender running for POTUS. While it looks as though she’ll win the Democratic nomination, the ultimate outcome of the general election is still months away. But, there’s still so much work to be done in order for American businesses to realize the proven benefit of having women at the top.
In a past article —The Emperor Has No Clothes — I detailed the lack of results in this arena of women’s professional development and challenged women to hone their own skills and — as a result — become their own solution.
If you are willing to take this bull by the horns, determined to claim your own position in leadership (and therefore pave the way for others to follow you) there are three specific ways you can lay the groundwork for your own professional ascent:
1. You need to be heard at work. This article goes into some detail about how the language of business is “male” and what this means for our communication in the workplace.
2. You need to be respected at work. Unbeknownst to many, the most direct way to generate professional respect is to create a compelling personal brand. This article helps you do exactly that, starting today.
3. You need to be heeded at work. This boils down to building a powerful sphere of influence, and this link will walk you through what this looks like, so you don’t confuse a sphere of influence with standard (especially standard women’s only) networking.
The wheels of culture, like the wheels of justice, can move too slowly. So, if you’re ready for your seat at the table, above is your game plan.
Real work. Real results. Real time.
Dani Ticktin Koplik —
Leadership consultant, executive coach, change agent and passionate professional development expert and speaker. You can learn more about Dani and her clients by visiting dtkBio page. 