Pepsi Co, Kraft, Avon, IBM and Xerox are all big company names we know well, but did you know they’re all lead by women CEOs? High achieving women are making waves and inspiring other women to be high achieving as well. They have certain traits that enable them to break down gender barriers and defy expectations. Here are some traits of high achieving women that you can use to succeed in your own career.
A lot of times, when others don’t believe in your career aspirations the only person you can turn to for motivation and guidance is yourself. Women that work in typically male dominated careers find that their own self-confidence is their driving force that motivates them to keep working hard at what they want. Having self-confidence is hard to build if you have a weak self-esteem. Work at loving yourself and establishing a good positive attitude first. If you don’t believe in yourself and your capabilities to achieve, then how are you going to convince other people? Believe in yourself and be confident. When you face a setback, your strong belief in yourself will help you bounce back.
As revealed by Entrepreneur, high achieving women set goals for themselves. They have long-term and short-term goals. They keep their eyes on the prize and work hard knowing that all the work they do now will help them get to where they want to be in the future. Make a list of where you want to be in five years, and make a list of where you want to be in one year. Having short-term and long-term goals help organize and prioritize your work and career choices. It also helps you keep track of where you are in your career so you can mark your successes. Having a plan as a guide will lead you in the right direction.
Ask yourself, “Why am I doing this?”, in order to find your main motivation in your success. All the long hours, hard work, obstacles and setbacks- why are they worth it? Every successful businesswoman has a story behind their success. For example, eGFI reminds us that Ursala Burns became the first African American women to run a Fortune 500 company. She was raised in a housing project in New York City’s lower east side and grew up during a time where the top professions for women were nursing and teaching. She knew she didn’t want to do that, and her mother encouraged her to work hard so she pursued a degree in chemical engineering. She interned at Xerox in 1980 and the rest is history. Burns knew from the start that what she wanted was success and a job that she could be passionate about.
If you know you’re passionate about something, you need to reach out and go for it despite what others may say. When there’s something motivating you to keep working hard despite the obstacles you may face, you can break down glass ceilings and reach success.
Take all of that self-confidence and passion and use it to climb your way to the top in a dignified manner. It’s easy to get over-competitive and start viewing other people as rivals rather than coworkers. Become a good team player as well as a leader. Recognize that other people’s successes are not your failures. Having this attitude will prevent you from feeling jealous and having animosity towards others- feelings that can ultimately block you from focusing on your own work.
Are you a highly successful woman? What moves did you make to secure your success? Let us know in the comments section below!
IMAGE: Courtesy of The New Agenda
Add comment