Let us appreciate that women bring a different pivotal perspective and thus have a different value-add to men in business. But there are certain unwritten values that women need to be aware of on which their character may be judged: - let me share some of those as tips to women in corporate and indeed those in business leadership positions.
1. Learn to be more factual than emotional. If the work situation is so dire that it warrants crying, do it privately, in your office or in the bathroom, not in front of your male colleagues and certainly not in front of your subordinates. Just do not keep tears on stand-by as a defense mechanism. Tears are the opposite of authority.
2. Observe your principles and in a less or non-offensive manner, confront sexual advances in a way that asserts your standpoint with regards to office romance, should this persist involve HR as the third party so this is addressed or raised as a grievance if need be so that you are protected at least from a Labor Relations Act point of view.
3. Show commitment and do not keep a well of excuses overflowing for non-delivery. Be willing to be measured on your performance and your objectives. You are not a special case. Like your male colleagues, you too are an employee.
4. Do not look for love and understanding at work, that is simply not the right place. Corporate and business are in short supply of love and that is the harsh reality.
5. Do not react to a situation by writing an email as your first port of call. This is a general practice that has devastating effects especially if you copy the whole company. Emails, whilst they are a good means of communicating can be read out of context and may be subject to the readers mental state and may cause more harm than good. If you need to build a case, emails can be a source of evidence but should not be abused.
Comments