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Mentorship December 9, 2017
A few months ago, you landed an incredible job opportunity with one of the top companies in your field. You can’t wait to prove yourself as a successful businesswoman … only, when you step into the office, you realize you’re one of the only women there.
Even if you’re one of the confident #WomenThatDo, it isn’t easy being a minority in the office. Research has even shown that women face a variety of stressful challenges – ranging from social isolation to performance pressures to sexual harassment – when working in male-dominated fields.
What’s a businesswoman to do? Follow ENTITY’s top five tips about succeeding in a male-dominated workplace!
If you’re able to become friends with your male coworkers, that’s awesome – keep doing it. You shouldn’t forget, however, to build relationships with your boss and others in management. This doesn’t mean becoming a “boss’s pet” and saying “yes” to all of his or her requests and offering to take on additional projects. Instead, you need to make sure your boss recognizes the good work you’ve done and knows what kind of projects you’d like to tackle next.
READ MORE: 5 Ways to Maintain a Healthy Relationship with Your Boss
Not sure how to talk to your boss about more than your late paycheck? Forbes suggests grabbing your boss in the hall or during your morning meeting. Use those few minutes of conversation to reveal what you’re passionate about. If you can’t catch your boss at an opportune time, ask to schedule a monthly meeting so you can talk about future goals or plans.
If you think your male co-workers are getting all of the good projects, it may be because you’ve never asked for a role.
Have you ever not wanted to boast about a talent – from dancing to makeup – because it’s “so feminine”? Don’t let stereotypes keep you from showing off the strengths in your occupational arsenal. Various studies have shown that men and women have biologically different strengths. For instance, research reports that women typically exhibit more compassion and team-building skills, and score higher in persuasiveness and assertiveness as leaders. Women also seem to be more willing to examine a situation from all sides before making a decision and are more eager than men to tackle challenging projects at work.
Basically, women are pretty freakin’ awesome and shouldn’t be afraid to use their stereotypically female skills to their advantage in the workplace. The goal is to ask for projects that you know will fit your strengths best. For instance, if you know you’re a good persuasive speaker, ask to present your group’s suggestion for next month’s marketing campaign. And if you also have traditionally “male” talents (like knowing about the latest technology or “winging” presentations with confidence), show those off too.
The key to becoming the businesswoman of your dreams? Learn to stand up for yourself and all your hard work. For instance, if you had to do a group presentation with your co-workers and you ended up doing most of the work, make sure to highlight your own contributions. Or if you feel like your office has an unfriendly workplace environment (due to inappropriate jokes or comments, for example), don’t just ignore it. Talk to the person making these comments or bring it up with your supervisor or boss.
READ MORE: Trouble in the Workplace: What to Do When You Have a Beef With a Coworker
Of course, you need to decide beforehand what kind of battles are really worthy of fighting. As The Muse explains, you might be accepted more quickly by your peers if they know they can be themselves around you. That means that you might have to accept that Tom’s desk will always have snacks hidden in the drawers even though food is technically prohibited outside the office kitchen. But if someone wants to take undue credit for a project or crosses the line into sexual harassment, don’t be afraid to make some noise.
If you’re feeling alone as one of the only women in a male-dominated workplace, having a reassuring mentor can make or break your career. When you’re struggling to adapt to a new workplace environment, a mentor can “encourage you to take the time to adjust [and] not to lose sight of your long-term plan and goals,” reports Sharon Warburton, chairman at Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility and member of the online community Leaders in Heels.
Mentors can also help boost your confidence, trigger a more positive mindset and give tips, ranging from how to speak up during morning meetings to the habits your mentor adopted to get ahead in the workplace. As for who to choose as your mentor, you’re only limited by who you know and what kind of mentor you want. If you’re struggling in a male-dominated field, you might want to approach women who have succeeded in a similar field. Or if you want to know how to climb the ladder in your new company, you might approach some of your superiors for advice.
READ MORE: Why Every Millennial Should Have a Mentor
You’re already one of the only people in your company who wears a skirt and lipstick to work. Do you really want to make yourself stand out even more? As long as being different is a natural part of achieving your goals, the answer is probably yes.
Just imagine you’re sitting at your morning meeting and your boss is asking for ideas on how to bring in more customers. Maybe your co-workers are focusing on the same tactics the company has used for years, such as sales or ads that point out the flaws of your competitors. If you have a different idea, speak up! As a woman – or just a person with a different background – you might have a unique perspective to offer. And as Madame Noire points out, “Success comes from disruption. Disruption is the thing that that forwards a goal or agenda.” If a company’s status-quo approach isn’t working, the different ideas you can offer could be exactly the change it needs.
So maybe your “dream job” isn’t quite the dream you thought it would be. You could be struggling to thrive in a workplace dominated by men, or you could just be feeling a little alone. The good news? You aren’t alone. With these tips, you’ll be mentoring the next generation of female workers before you know it!
