Why I’m reading this 10 years old book? Becuse nice girls still don’t get the corner office. 9% of Fortune 500 CEOs are women.
Polite, kind, caring, supportive, averse to office politics, modest when talking about personal achievements, always giving before asking - aren’t these the characteristics of an ideal leader? Maybe, but… these are also the qualities of the nice girls who don’t get the corner office, according to Lois P. Frankel.
What to do? The book contains a total of 133 unconscious mistakes that women make. I'll share a few that I think are pretty gender-free.
⭕️ Overlooking the importance of mentors and sponsors/advocates. In special kind of relationship - sponsorship - mentor uses his or her influence to advocate for the mentee, so have courage to ask for advocacy.
⭕️ Being naive. Trust your instincts: if it looks like a duck, sounds like a duck, and walks like a duck - it’s a duck.
⭕️ Offering a limp handshake for the first impression. When meeting someone for the first time, if they don't offer their hand first, offer your hand and never hug someone unless they do it first.
⭕️ Confusing helping and being used. If you are working harder than everyone else on your team, you’re being used.
⭕️ Ignoring the importance of network relationships. The more relationships you have, the greater your access to information and resources.
⭕️ Not sitting at the table. If there aren’t enough chairs at the table to accommodate everyone, pull one up and squeeze it in, and rest your forearms on the table, not under.
What to do? The book contains a total of 133 unconscious mistakes that women make. I'll share a few that I think are pretty gender-free.
⭕️ Overlooking the importance of mentors and sponsors/advocates. In special kind of relationship - sponsorship - mentor uses his or her influence to advocate for the mentee, so have courage to ask for advocacy.
⭕️ Being naive. Trust your instincts: if it looks like a duck, sounds like a duck, and walks like a duck - it’s a duck.
⭕️ Offering a limp handshake for the first impression. When meeting someone for the first time, if they don't offer their hand first, offer your hand and never hug someone unless they do it first.
⭕️ Confusing helping and being used. If you are working harder than everyone else on your team, you’re being used.
⭕️ Ignoring the importance of network relationships. The more relationships you have, the greater your access to information and resources.
⭕️ Not sitting at the table. If there aren’t enough chairs at the table to accommodate everyone, pull one up and squeeze it in, and rest your forearms on the table, not under.