by Solange Lopes | Nov 13, 2014 | Career
Photo: http://tempesttcup.wordpress.com
Being an introvert in today’s workplace is not the easiest thing, far from it. Especially during meetings when introverts definitely have a hard time being heard… As one who enjoys quieter energy and smaller groups myself, today’s workplace, where apparent success seems to be attributed to whomever speaks the first and the loudest, can be quite a challenge.
Throwing an introvert in an open meeting in the modern workplace can feel like throwing a fish out of water. While unfortunately, our work culture seems to favor assertiveness to the point of aggressiveness, it’s crucial we stay true to ourselves to be our very best. So how does an introvert kick ass at work and show leadership within the modern work culture while staying true to themselves? Much of it starts in meetings:
1. Start strong! Do not wait for the meeting to get significantly under way before feebly attempting to get a word in edgewise. For introverts at work, the best defense is the attack! Come prepared, and lay your game plan at the start of the meeting, before ideas and words start flying. Intimidating? Yes, so make sure to splash some cold water on your face before entering the room…Action!
2. Volunteer to be on stage! One easy way to take center stage without having to fight to get your voice heard is to volunteer to do so. Worked on an exciting project? Volunteer to present it to your co-workers.
3. Use your uniqueness! As introverts, we tend to sit back and observe. As a result, we tend to catch more of the innuendos in the conversation, and as such be able to ask important questions and uncover unsaid truths. Be willing to use your unique perspective to say what needs to be said, and make a lasting impression!
What are your hacks as an introvert to assert yourself in meetings?
The Corporate Sis.
by Solange Lopes | Nov 12, 2014 | Career
Have you ever found yourself helplessly complaining about your manager’s unfair micro-management at work? Or the latest corporate policy? Or even your overly competitive co-workers? For years in my career, I’ve complained over and over again, if only to myself, about things I didn’t like, policies that left me baffled and attitudes I could not comprehend. Even as I stepped into new, better situations, small things would trigger old emotions I thought were buried away, dragging me back into old self-victimizing patterns.
As described in Psychology Today, “learned helplessness is an attitude of giving up when we face adversity.” Every time we complain of the world we perceive as unfair, we position ourselves as victims. And the more we feed into this “learned helplessness”, the poorer our performance and our health.
And this is also how we continuously keep giving your power at work, damaging ourselves and our careers in the process. Instead, striving to ask ourselves and others to figure out how to discover new solutions and possibilities can make us more successful, happier and healthier!
What can I do to better this situation? What are my options in the face of professional uncertainty? Should I begin looking for a new job? What are tangible ways to improve my performance? All these are questions to help us see beyond adversity, and give us the one thing that will restore our power at work and in life…It’s called hope!
How do you keep yourself from giving away your power at work?
by Solange Lopes | Oct 30, 2014 | Career
Do you dress up for Halloween at work – Photo credit: dosomething.org
Halloween is right around the corner! Last night’s episode of Modern Family, with the court typist dressed up as a (seriously ugly) spider, had me questioning how much people feel comfortable dressing up for Halloween…at work!
There certainly are many options available for Halloween costumes on the job. Yet, considering the importance of dressing appropriately at work, there still are rules to follow when dressing up at your workplace, including knowing (and respecting) your office rules, keeping it kosher, and still being able to conduct business as usual. Please no blackface, or Ebola-themed costume…
And for those, like myself, who are trying to find last-minute costumes that are also work-friendly, here are some great suggestions from the Ann taylor blog. Corporette also had some smart costume suggestions for smart women last week.
Do you dress up for Halloween at work? What are some of the costumes you’ve worn, or are planning to wear? What advice do you have for fellow corporate sisters and brothers when it comes to dressing up for Halloween at work?
The Corporate Sis.
by Solange Lopes | Oct 26, 2014 | Career
Photo credit: the cubiclechick.com
Happy Sunday!
Hope everyone is having a great week-end! The weather was gorgeous on this side of the blogosphere, there’s just something about Fall in New England that leaves you breathless. Hopefully, you also are enjoying the stillness of the morning, as you’re reading about the news that made me smile, raise my eyebrows or flat-out cringe this week:
- This week, iconic designed Oscar de la Renta bowed out, passing away at 82 and leaving us a precious legacy of style, along with, according to Entrepreneur, 5 lessons entrepreneurs can learn from Oscar de la Renta;
- Business Insider lists the 50 things you must stop saying at work (some of these will make you smile…);
- Speaking go things not to say or do, CNN seriously questions (and so do I) the decision of an Atlanta judge to reprimand an immigration attorney for bring her 4-week-old infant to court, because apparently maternity leave is not an excuse. Really though?
- And while we’re at it, did you hear about this Fox headline that “young women on juries are not a good idea” because they ” just don’t get it”…Ahem;
- Speaking of flexibility at work, last Tuesday was declared National Flex Day by Workingmother.com, and Take The Lead Women argues flextime is the #2 most important benefit for women at work, after quality child care, while the Washington Post reveals most men also want flexible work;
- The Washington Post is asking the very pertinent question: “Is your boss making you sick?”.
- We’ve all heard all the brouhaha around Facebook and Apple offering to pay for women freezing their eggs,yet Forbes is provocatively looks at the true impetus behind egg freezing;
- Inc looks about the most common mistakes women make at work;
- The Boston Globe questions why women CEOs get fired more than men CEOs (and coins a new term: the Glass Cliff), while Fortune magazine reveals the best company perk to retain female talent (and it’s not pregnancy parking);
- Last but not least, this week, I wrote about the lazy way of getting organized at work, how to tell your co-workers to keep their hands to themselves, and my week-end fashion pick, among other ramblings…
Happy Sunday, and happy reading!
The Corporate Sis.
by Solange Lopes | Oct 22, 2014 | Career
How can HR help empower women at work – Photo: jessicachivers.com
It’s time for our Ask HR feature! I have the pleasure of re-introducing guest contributor Zena Thomas, PHR, a fellow corporate sister and blogger extraordinaire. Zena blogs at hersavvycareer.com, and this her second Ask HR feature she’s graciously offering us (check out her fist feature on discrimination at work). Today, Zena writes about how Human Resources can help empower women at work, and you don’t wanna miss this…Welcome Zena!
Ask HR: Zena, Can HR help empower women at work? And if so, how? Absolutely! Human Resources should be dedicated to giving all employees the tools they need to be successful at work, and focusing on empowering women is no different. Within the last few weeks, the word “feminist” has popped up in popular culture more than ever in my lifetime. Currently, there is special attention given to women’s issues, and there is no better time to address how HR departments can be instrumental in empowering women at work.
- One way HR can help is by taking an honest look at company leadership. If women are not fairly represented in leadership roles, then there is a problem. Some companies are required by law to have Affirmative Action Plans to address the lack of women in leadership roles. However, all organizations, even those not officially required to, should step back, take a good look at their workforce, and make sure female employees are given the same opportunities to run the business as men. HR should work with managers to identify high-performing female employees with leadership potential and create a roadmap to get them into management positions. Implementing a formal training and development plan to make sure that women are being promoted to managers is just one resource that HR departments can use to make sure that women are fairly represented on the management level.
- Another tool that HR departments can utilize to empower women is creating a mentoring program. In some industries and companies there may be very few women in senior positions, therefore women do not have access to female leadership. A mentoring program that matches women leaders with female mentees is a great tool to create a formal relationship that is mutually beneficial. The mentee will have access to a mentor with experience and expertise that could be instrumental in the mentee’s growth. Likewise, the mentor will have access to the issues and concerns that the mentee and other females like her face on a daily basis. In smaller companies, a formal program may not be necessary but Human Resources could be instrumental in introducing female employees with other female role models in the organization.
- There are several other tools that Human Resources departments could use to empower women such as lunch and learns, roundtable discussions, and seminars. However, I encourage women not to wait for HR to empower female employees at their company(yes). Start empowering yourself today! Simple steps such as reaching out to a female leader in your company and asking them questions about how they got to their current position, is a great start to empowering yourself and owning your career. Start a lunch club where you share tools and resources on how to do your job better, be a better businesswoman and leader.
My savvy tip is that empowering women begins with empowering yourself. If your company is not giving you all the resources you need, then be the go-getter that you know you are, and go get what you need to be successful.
For more savvy advice you can check out Zena’s blog: www.hersavvycareer.com or follow me on Twitter @hersavvycareer, and on Facebook .
Thanks, Zena!
