Assumption #1 - Think that Working Harder Trumps Socializing

Men will get an invitation to lunch from the boss and they will take it and make up the work on the backend, women think if they show they are working hard, they will get ‘credit.’

Assumption #2 - Women Accept the Role of Continuing to Prove Themselves

When it is time for a promotion, women will often be willing to take a role that is either temporary or one that allows the company to do a ‘test drive’ to see if she can cut it.

Assumption #3 - Take Themselves Too Seriously and Act Like it is Not Okay to Joke or Laugh

We have to learn to get comfortable with who we are as women. When we are comfortable and confident in our abilities and style, we can then become more adaptable when others do things differently. Sometimes we can be so focused on the task that we take it personal when the conversation goes to something funny or off topic. Especially, it we are leading the meeting. It seems to be a reflection of our lack of control.

Assumption #4 - Women Talk About Their Involvement as Part of a Group Instead of Identifying Their Personal Contribution

How many times have you heard women tell a story about the ‘royal we’ instead of a discussion about what distinct leadership they brought to the project. It is as though we are afraid to stand without being surrounded by team.

Assumption #5 - Uncomfortable with Self Promotion

Find ways to promote self indirectly by telling the story about the project and your role in it. We are afraid of appearing as though we are ‘bragging’ so when we are asked about a project we tell the story about how everyone else contributed and we expect that others will interpret from that what our role was. You can compliment others and still give examples in the story about what you did.

Assumption #6 - Lack of Confidence About What They Know and Don’t Know

Men don’t use a lot of qualifiers, women do, i.e. ‘I can learn’ As women we are conditioned to represent ourselves as less capable. We need to be aware that there are times that we reject male ego behavior and success so much that we go all the way to the other end of the pendulum to compensate. It is important to realize that we have the ability to use both our feminine energy and our male energy as appropriate. Focus on what you do know, not what you don’t know.

Assumption #7 - Afraid to Take Risks

Limited by our perceived weaknesses and failures. I was told a story once by my mentor when I was looking at a promotion and identifying all the qualifications of the job that I didn’t have. He said to me, if you were a guy looking at this job and there were 10 qualifications and he met what he considered to be 4 key elements, he would go interview for the position. As a woman, I was looking at it and telling myself that if I didn’t have at least 8 of 10, I probably shouldn’t go for it. We need to stop judging ourselves so harshly. We are better than we think we are.

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