Every year during March, a conversation sparks up about women’s rights and empowerment due to the Women’s day fervor and zeal. The debates give way to a popular question – what keeps holding women back at work? In other terms, how can leadership positions be made more gender-equal? Of course, there’s no simple explanation for this predicament as it lies upon decades of systematic and cultural issues.
This year, the situation has worsened in many ways, with the coronavirus pandemic bearing a disproportionate impact on working women globally. Luckily, though, we still have the voices of successful women in corporate leadership to guide women. One such voice is that of Walker & Dunlop’s Executive Vice President and head of FHA Housing and Healthcare, Sheri Thompson.
Here’s the advice the VP has relayed for ambitious women navigating career-related struggles at this time:
1. Have No Fear of “Starting Over”
The popular narrative seems that success is a unilateral climb from point A, point B, and upwards. Thompson states that this is very far from the actual case, and your progress will very unlikely be linear.
You will face lots of detours and setbacks, which you should be ready for. When you’re starting fresh in a new role, there are lots of things you’d have to learn from scratch, but these are the experiences that provide the most room for growth.
2. Don’t Be Scared of Stretch Roles
Women are most likely to opt-out of roles that they don’t meet the requirements for by 100%. Men, on the other hand, shoot their shot, which helps them climb the ladder much quicker.
Don’t let the fear of “not knowing” hold you back. When you take the leap of faith and apply to bigger and better positions with more responsibilities, you will be able to speed up your career trajectory.
3. Always Seek Feedback
Feedback isn’t the easiest thing to swallow, and it can often be very hard not to take it personally. However, that’s the very thing you must make it a habit of seeking. Nothing helps you grow more than constructive feedback from your superiors. Please don’t take up a role thinking you’re perfect for it. Instead, try to keep your emotions on the side and be open to feedback.
Wrapping It Up
You need to push out of your comfort zone if you want to achieve your goals. No one made it big without pushing themselves to the best of their abilities. Take risks, but not blindly. If you make some unconventional moves, but with proper calculation and assessment, you’re bound to do a whole lot better in this dog-eat-dog world.