As women entrepreneurs, mompreneurs, business owners, and professionals, there are certain behaviors we have been socialized to engage in that can sabotage our success.
Women have typically been socialized to:
Avoid conflict
Be polite and soft-spoken
Be relationship oriented
Avoid assertive behavior
Put the needs of others before our own
Behave like girls!
Lois Frankel, author of Nice Girls Don't Get the Corner Office, outlines 101 of the biggest mistakes women unconsciously make that hurt their credibility, career advancement, and businesses. I'm a huge fan of this book, and wish I had it when I started my first job! Today, as an entrepreneur, these concepts are still valuable in my relationships with clients, colleagues, and business partners.
To make the most of the book's format and tips, the opening self-assessment pinpoints your top areas to address. From there, the book is organized into eight chapters that serve as a coaching guide. It's easy to move around within the book, work on those mistakes that are affecting you most, and refer back to it later.
Three of my favorite areas that Dr. Frankel addresses:
How you sound. How you sound accounts for almost 40% of your credibility. People quickly make decisions about you and whether or not they want to continue listening to your message. The word choices you make, how you organize and express our thoughts, and the tone of voice you use all contribute to that decision-making process. The book points out key mistakes and their fixes, such as apologizing unnecessarily, over-explaining, using fillers and non-words, and not using the language of business.
How you brand and market yourself. Regardless of whether you are a business owner or corporate professional, you are your brand. It's your responsibility to distinguish yourself from the field, promoting who you are in a way that's positive and reflects your integrity. Dr. Frankel points out the mistakes that put your success in jeopardy, such as failing to define your unique value, passing up high-profile assignments, or waiting to be noticed.
How you respond. This section refers to negative messages and behaviors women have been socialized to accept. Often we internalize messages from childhood that later impact our self-esteem and how we see the world. We sometimes believe we aren't good enough or that others know more than we do. The book offers specific ways to identify and overcome these sabotaging behaviors.
I encourage you to add this book to your library - it's a practical, well-organized, and relevant resource you'll use often on your journey to success! For additional information and tips from the author, visit Dr. Frankel's website.
About the Author:
If you'd like to include this article on your website or in your e-zine, please make sure it remains intact and include the following blurb:
Amy Franko is the owner and principal learning designer of Amy Franko Consulting.
Amy is a certified Book Yourself Solid ™ business coach. The group she's most passionate about serving is women who are solo service professionals. She uses a simple system of protocols specifically designed to help them get out into the world and bring more ideal clients into their business, even if marketing and selling isn't something they like to do!
You can learn more about her by visiting her LinkedIn profile (http://www.linkedin.com/in/amyfranko) or following her on Twitter (http://www.twitter.com/amyfranko).
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