Five Strategies to Success for Women in Business
Share
save
The way women are viewed in the workplace is changing, which for the most part has been for the better. However, that’s meant that the way gender discrimination occurs is changing too.
“One of the challenges we find today is that people aren’t blatantly saying ‘I’m not going to give you this job because you’re a working mother’, […] but a lot of our behaviors and actions subconsciously tune in to these messages,” explains Doyin Atewologun director of the Gender, Leadership and Inclusion Center at Cranfield School of Management.
Cranfield University has demonstrated a commitment to women in leadership for decades, publishing its annual Female FTSE Index since 1999. The index provides a regular measure of the percentage of female directors on corporate boards for the UK’s top companies.
The index points to significant improvement in women in leadership roles. The number of FTSE 100 female directors rose by 50 percent in the last five years, and that number is projected to continue to increase.
Despite the dramatic increase in the number of women in power, women still need to have a plan of attack when it comes to reaching the top-tier positions in business, traditionally occupied by men. And the path to success can start at business school.
Here’s five strategies to success for women in business:
1. Own your universal selling point
Understanding what your universal selling point (USP) is, and using it to better represent yourself and those around you, is vital when it comes to being a woman in business.
When leadership is more representative and diverse, people feel more appreciated and welcomed themselves. So, being your own unique self is a vital strategy.
This is the case across industries. Indeed, a UK NHS study found that "broad boards are better boards", with significant evidence that diverse teams were more factually-focused and superior at analyzing information.
“There are lots of beautiful opportunities to connect with people in a different way,” Doyin asserts.
2. Network with other women
According to a recent study from the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, networking with other women is vital when it comes to succeeding in business. A strong circle of women provides crucial "gender-specific private information and support".
Khayale Agaeva moved from Norway to pursue the Management MSc at Cranfield School of Management and served as vice president of Cranfield’s Women in Leadership Society during her time at Cranfield.
👋 Read more: 5 Ways a Business School Network Will Help Your Career
The society, she says, supports female students on the program, bringing together a mix of women from across the university to support each other in achieving their best potential. “It’s just as much about the community as the networking” she explains.
3. Ask questions
When women are underrepresented in business, it’s reasonable to want to prove you can do it on your own without help from others. However, this can cause more problems than solutions.
During her master’s degree, Khayale’s willingness to ask for help and advice allowed her to tap in to the knowledge of her more experienced counterparts at the school.
❓ Read more: 5 Questions to Ask During Your MBA or Master’s Interview
“I was around MBA students who gave me a lot of valuable insights to being a woman in the work place” she explains.
4. Don’t doubt yourself
“I always felt that I was lagging behind everyone else but I realized that everyone is just as confused,” Khayale admits.
As a female in business, Khayale often felt as though she was on the back foot. However, as she continued her Management MSc at Cranfield School of Management her confidence grew.
🙋♀️ Read more: Female Representation in MBA Classrooms Better Than Ever in 2020
The 13-month program takes students through ten core modules—across topics like economics, marketing, and CSR—and three elective modules—where students can choose from a range of courses including Entrepreneurship, Supply Chain, and Effective Cross-Cultural Management, during which students travel to Granada in Spain.
“Now, I feel that leadership comes naturally to me,” she says. “I want to get to a stage where female CEOs are not a surprise.”
5. But… don’t be afraid to fail
A workplace can be a difficult environment to navigate, but “it’s about trying and failing, you learn as you grow,” says Khayale. She admits that she had previously struggled with her communication skills, which lead to her feeling as though she was falling behind.
🎓 Read more: Why More Women Are Applying to Business School
However, her time at Cranfield provided her with a comfortable space where she was able to make mistakes and learn from them. Through the course, she was given the opportunity to take up a summer internship at 4C Associates, a management consulting firm in London. After graduation, she was offered a full-time job.
“Negotiations, analytical skills, problem solving skills; I use what I learned [at Cranfield] every day,” Khayale concludes. “Cranfield really helped to shape me into the person I am and how I behave in the workplace.”
Want to learn more strategies for success for women in business?
This article was originally published on BusinessBecause.
Whether you’re considering an MBA, EMBA, or Master’s program, read more content like this and get practical resources to help your business school application on BusinessBecause.
