3 Things Professional Women Should Stop Apologizing For | LinkedIn
Christine Charman • We have an obligation to empower and support each other. Apologizing as a matter of habit can be debilitating and dis-empowering. I do hold out hope for humility somehow winning out in the end. Listening is a very powerful communication skill, being an interrupter for the sake of demonstrating "maleness" or perceived power or strength just doesn't seem right to me.
Missy Clark • Reading this story was inspiring to me. Far too often I've experienced similar situations. Recently I have decided to make my voice be heard, to be proud of exceeding expectations and not shy away from accolades. This article further instills the desire to be recognized for my work, period. Thank you Elissa!
Rachel Soskin • Thabk you Lisa, you are absolutely correct, we are conditioned to be 'pleasers' from and early age, and studies have shown that starting in childhood, because teachers, even those who think they are 'favoring' girls, are still only giving boys the vast majority of their attention. As a professional woman, with over 20 years of industry experience - I am still spoken over, shut down and just plain ignored. Even when I am expressing important ideas and suggestions, as you can imagine, it is very frustrating. Even more so because I let it happen! I do so, because I have never been trained or conditioned on how to prevent it, I am not sure what to do, because even when I interject I am accused of be argumentative, or some other nonsense. It is true that most of us find it very difficult to say 'no' also, because we do not want to be percieved as unwilling to do what it takes. There are four peers in my department two men, another woman and I. We work literally twice as many hours as they do, and yet we get the same evaluation, at the end of the year - what message does that send?
I was hired for my specialized expertise, but unfortunately into an organization that is particularly male dominated. There is some recognition that I am an excellent thought-leader, but that has not brought me any substantial success, because my ideas and advice are not acted upon (largely because I tell them things they don't want to hear, but really need to!). I know that I do need to work on being more assertive, but it is a double-edged sword - because even a woman who is being assertive the right way is very likely to be labelled 'agressive', because it is not womanly behavior. I have seen this happen many times in my career.
The 'glass ceiling' is still very real for most women, especially those who work in an environment governed by the 'old boy network' mentality. Again and again, I have seen highly qualifed women passed over in favor of under-qualified 'buddies'. I realize that this sounds cynical, but it is a known fact that we are valued less, and get paid less than male counterparts. Until the perception that, particularly married for women, 'we don't really need as much money' this will continue (BTW, I have actually heard this opinion expressed by more than just one man over the years, so this is not an opinion I just dreamed up!
Christine Charman • We have an obligation to empower and support each other. Apologizing as a matter of habit can be debilitating and dis-empowering. I do hold out hope for humility somehow winning out in the end. Listening is a very powerful communication skill, being an interrupter for the sake of demonstrating "maleness" or perceived power or strength just doesn't seem right to me.
Missy Clark • Reading this story was inspiring to me. Far too often I've experienced similar situations. Recently I have decided to make my voice be heard, to be proud of exceeding expectations and not shy away from accolades. This article further instills the desire to be recognized for my work, period. Thank you Elissa!
Rachel Soskin • Thabk you Lisa, you are absolutely correct, we are conditioned to be 'pleasers' from and early age, and studies have shown that starting in childhood, because teachers, even those who think they are 'favoring' girls, are still only giving boys the vast majority of their attention. As a professional woman, with over 20 years of industry experience - I am still spoken over, shut down and just plain ignored. Even when I am expressing important ideas and suggestions, as you can imagine, it is very frustrating. Even more so because I let it happen! I do so, because I have never been trained or conditioned on how to prevent it, I am not sure what to do, because even when I interject I am accused of be argumentative, or some other nonsense. It is true that most of us find it very difficult to say 'no' also, because we do not want to be percieved as unwilling to do what it takes. There are four peers in my department two men, another woman and I. We work literally twice as many hours as they do, and yet we get the same evaluation, at the end of the year - what message does that send?
I was hired for my specialized expertise, but unfortunately into an organization that is particularly male dominated. There is some recognition that I am an excellent thought-leader, but that has not brought me any substantial success, because my ideas and advice are not acted upon (largely because I tell them things they don't want to hear, but really need to!). I know that I do need to work on being more assertive, but it is a double-edged sword - because even a woman who is being assertive the right way is very likely to be labelled 'agressive', because it is not womanly behavior. I have seen this happen many times in my career.
The 'glass ceiling' is still very real for most women, especially those who work in an environment governed by the 'old boy network' mentality. Again and again, I have seen highly qualifed women passed over in favor of under-qualified 'buddies'. I realize that this sounds cynical, but it is a known fact that we are valued less, and get paid less than male counterparts. Until the perception that, particularly married for women, 'we don't really need as much money' this will continue (BTW, I have actually heard this opinion expressed by more than just one man over the years, so this is not an opinion I just dreamed up!
Googie Thanks for excellent editing without spelling mistake!!..what do you thinkabout these agressive chicks who understand glass celing effect..They are very.super.cunning@gracios5,com!So ,the cunning fox is unable tp bag them in his gunny bag for purpose of BBQ dinner!..as they're cunning,clever,innocent, Giants are good at conniving plans out witting the oldfox's old fashioned 'elfish,BLACK magic plans!
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