Long gone are days when girlboss term had a negative, almost pejorative connotation… or are they? No, not really.
Unfortunately, we’re still collectively caught between progress and traditional thinking where women’s roles, or – better yet – women’s purposes in life are to give birth, raise children, move aside so men can dominate, and “liberal” attitudes where women are encouraged to shine their own light, express themselves through the sum of their capacities, and help the world be the place of shifted perspectives.
Nonetheless, even being caught between this and that means awakening… or at least some sort of awareness. True, it’s baby steps, but it’s steps.
Women leadership has been getting gradually introduced in the business scene for years, and there’s no backing down now. On that note, if you are a woman with ambition who wants to kill it, and are looking to give yourself a chance in the (business) world, here are six skills you should master.
Trust Who You Are
Don’t roll your eyes just yet! Yes, “believe in yourself,” and all that jibber-jabber may be the biggest cliché you’ve ever read, but there’s nothing cliché about loving yourself and trusting your gut.
When you put your experiences into perspective and observe yourself in those experiences from a distance, you may, unfortunately, realise how little love and appreciation you’ve been giving to yourself and how much to others.
One of the biggest keys of business success is trusting your capacities, and assuring yourself you can do what you are set to do – even if it meant repeating it in front of a mirror daily until you believe it.
Cherish Your Ambition Within
There’ll be times when you’ll just feel… tired. Tired of trying, of failing, tired of being too much for some people or too little for others. Tired of the right opportunities at wrong times.
But, in all of it – don’t let yourself get tired of your driving force within: your ambition. When you feel tired, rest. When you want to quit, say “I want to quit because of this, this and that.” When you feel it’s too much, admit it.
But stay on track, you owe it to yourself to be the best girlboss this world has ever seen. Just keep yourself focused on the bigger picture and remember – a few pep talks to yourself go a long way.
Be Ready to Sacrifice
No success comes overnight, and neither will yours. Playing this crazy business game, with so many other brilliant women and men (read: competitors) playing in the same field means being ready to sacrifice a lot to get what you want.
Sacrifice sleep, your social life, relationships (sorry, it’s gonna happen!), sacrifice days off, and God knows what else. But, it’ll pay off in the end. If things get too much, you can always back down… but that’s not who you are, is it?
Know How to Throw a Corporate Event and Keep Things in Check
Wait, what? Yes, it matters! Joke about it as much as you want, but knowing how to throw an event is no small thing. While organising parties may have been the only occupation of the women in the sixties, these days it’s just one of the things women should know how to do, and do it masterfully.
Properly welcoming potential clients, business partners, employees, and everyone else involved in the business you do plays a vital role because it shows respect of someone’s time, intention and commitment to your business.
If you’ve never thrown a corporate event before, expect to lose your nerves over food, space, transportation for your guests, the atmosphere, and all other things that go with a great event. But, remember – there are people who can help.
Find a good catering agency to help with the food, turn to a coach rental company for punctual and luxurious transportation for your guests, consult with event planners on how to throw an unforgettable corporate event, and you’ll be okay. A good presentation goes a long way, indeed.
Learn How Not to Do Business from Those Who’ve Done You Wrong
We’ve all had a fair share of jerks who’ve done us wrong, haven’t we? Sure. With that, there are two options: a) sit, sulk, and talk about how difficult the hustle is b) learn what not to do and change the narrative in your surroundings. Be the business person you’ve always wanted to meet.
Don’t Think a Single Failure Defines Your Entire Journey
When Meryl Streep was rejected for her role in King Kong for being “too ugly”, she made it into a pivotal moment in her career. Instead of crying herself to not ever trying for a role again, what she did was stand in front of the people who rejected her and say “I’m sorry you think I’m too ugly for your film but you’re just one opinion in a sea of thousands and I’m off to find a kinder tide.” Today, the woman has 18 Academy Awards. Get it?
This is your time to shine, baby girl. Give it your all, and that girlboss in you will take over the world!