10 Leadership Tips from Women Executives
Management coach Lisa Orrell has lots of opportunities to speak with top female executives about their advice for younger women trying to follow them up the career ladder. Recently on her blog she's rounded up many of these female execs' best tips, tricks and rules of thumb to keep aspiring female business leaders on the right track. Here are ten of the best:
- Power, influence and integrity are three inter-connected circles that create the foundation for being an effective leader.
- Leadership goes well beyond positional power, where someone has the authority to manage other people or projects and might rightfully use coercion as a strategy. People can also gain power by becoming an expert/authority on a specific topic, by encouraging/reinforcing others around them.
- Don't be someone you're not. Find your personal "voice" and define your personal brand/style at work.
- Power is sharing info with people; not withholding it.
- For every ONE point of "suggestion/constructive criticism" you offer to an employee, provide NINE compliments.
- Be willing to walk away from a company or client without integrity.
- Never ask anyone to do something you wouldn't personally do.
- Don't shrink from any conversations with yourself; you must avoid denial with regards to any situation. This can lead to small issues becoming huge ones â€" and people will then be asking you, "How and why did this happen?"
- Embrace conflict tactfully: Speak-up (not in volume, but with opinion), debate with inquiry, and keep inquiring until there is nothing left to say.
- People are listening to what you say--and to what you DON'T say.
- How Nice Is Too Nice for Women at Work?
- The Art of Negotiation: 5 Tips from Top Businesswomen
- The Great Career Advice I've Gotten from Other Women