Beauty and Brains is Just the Beginning
We get ahead- even in male dominated fields...
because we have a passion and an acuity for the work we do. But as professional women, balancing who we are and the leadership roles we carry isn't always easy. While self-expression continues to become more acceptable in the
corporate setting and we now have the opportunity to balance some sense
of femininity with being as assertive as we need to be to make things happen, walking that
fine line is a balancing act.
And it's a balancing act that- just like any other work project- you can master. It just takes a little experience, some channels of support with like-minded women and the right resources. We are conservative enough to be classy and let our competence steal the show. But we don't necessarily want to wear giant shoulder pads and shapeless boxy pant suits that make us forget that we are actually female. We are aggressive enough to drive the bottom line of our companies forward. But we can't do it with the same attitude at work as our male counterparts do- it's not who we are- and it doesn't work the same way for us. We are female executives and other aspiring ambitious women in fields ranging from biotechnology to media production and almost everything in between. Our product knowledge varies from fashion design to health-care systems. Our core competencies range from sales management to product development. But we have one thing in common: together as professional women, we learn to confidently master- and love- the balance of being female in male-dominated worlds. |
Julie Edmonds offers 7 tips to get ahead with the right attitude at work in the February Spotlight. Also get to know our January Spotlight: Brandy the Apprentice, recently chosen to work in the Trump Organization. |
So welcome to the forum- where business meets bombshell.
When we walk into the boardroom, we know we're seen differently
than our tie- wearing counterparts, especially when you see only one or
two pairs of high heels amidst more than a dozen suits and ties. As we
gather around the conference table to pore over the projection charts
and strategize for next quarter, they judge us, and our ideas,
differently.
Different StrengthsBut don’t misunderstand- to us, being judged differently isn’t a bad thing. As women, we come to the table with different attitudes, different strengths and even different weaknesses. We recognize our uniqueness. We own our femininity- we allow our competence to speak for itself.
Yes- it’s true- our subtle femininity can distract our male
counterparts. Sometimes we find ourselves being judged on the strange
subconscious scale where being more aesthetically pleasing somehow
equals being less capable. We’ve even felt ourselves fighting the urge
to become the nag when we feel like we're not being heard. And while
there are still cases of gender inequality and sexism in the workplace
today, please don’t be confused. That is not what this forum is about.
The Graceful Art of AcuityThis forum is about how we leverage who we are in the classiest, most productive, and most efficient way. We believe in our companies. We believe in our competence to propel our companies forward. We believe in staying composed as we drive the bottom line. We believe in the graceful art of acuity... and we believe in stilettos. Oh, and guys, welcome! |
To the guys- our esteemed colleagues, partners, bosses, employees: we love you and we know our companies couldn’t live without you. Feel free to browse and add constructively to the forum. But don’t ask us about all the shoes, it's just a girl thing.
"In matters of style, swim with the current. In matters of principle, stand like a rock." ~T.Jefferson