Any successful person will have a story of how they personally matured and, as a result, were able to grow and improve themselves and those around them in their spheres of influence. As the saying goes, you can’t give what you don’t have, and in order to generate exceptional leaders, products, or services, you must first invest in yourself.
Individuals are just like organisations, with strengths, limitations, opportunities, and dangers to their financial capabilities. Individuals must therefore look at themselves and optimise their self-actualisation by focusing on what distinguishes them, what their abilities and talents are, and developing those areas while also working on any impediments and restrictions to their success. Some coaching tips:
1 Be self-aware
We’ve all experienced experiences that shaped who we are. Our life experiences shape our perspectives, attitudes, and beliefs and ultimately our decisions. Self-awareness will help us understand our social experiences and how others see us. To enter the workplace with a positive mindset, work to overcome negative self-beliefs and perspectives from your past, so that it doesn’t hinder you from experiencing a new place as a new opportunity, a blank slate, and an opportunity to experience new people, culture, systems, etc. Don’t take the old into your new, allow yourself new experiences, expect better from people and yourself, and you will feel and see it.
2 Be okay with imposter syndrome
I am tired of hearing about imposter syndrome; yet, when it comes to women, believe me, we are not making this up. Accept the fact that it exists and that you will experience it. There is no true permanent treatment; we must simply learn to live with it and manage its symptoms as they arise.
Most of us are the first generation of women in corporate; we will be nervous, unsure, doubtful, and feel out of place. But we are here; we are expected to be and occupy more areas, so to ensure that future generations do not suffer from this dis-ease, we are the unsung heroes paving the road, syndrome or not. We will not be stopped; we should occupy space. So don’t let impostor syndrome prevent you from applying for that job, relocating, pursuing those ambitions, and entering industries that aren’t traditionally associated with women. Go be the change we need, the representation, so that others can use you as a reference that it’s possible.
3 Yes, work ten times harder
When I was serving my articles, I despised this phrase ‘Women have to work ten times harder.’ I despised it, but did it nonetheless. I worked harder, learnt faster, failed and corrected sooner, tried things I knew I couldn’t do yet, and it taught me courage and bravery, but most significantly, it gave me the confidence to start, to be a novice, to try something I’m not excellent at, to perfect a learning spirit.
Working harder will never make you a loser because discipline, when applied to anything, always produces results. Now, hard practice can reduce the amount of years needed to develop a specific talent. The proverb says that if you tell yourself you will clean your house in 30 days, you will clean it in 30 days; if you tell yourself you will clean the same house in two days, you will clean it in two days. So, in the end, you must pick between working hard and working at a leisurely pace, but learning must be done; how you do it is entirely up to you.
4 Build and nurture relationships
The foundation of thriving as humans is our interactions with others, and the better our ties with our careers, the more likely we are to prosper equally in our advancement. The various ways to invest in successful relationships are investing in your stakeholders, knowing their communication and complement language, respecting their limits, and getting to know their interests outside of what you are currently working on.
Caution: do not establish connections based on what you can gain from others; instead, be authentic and focus on what you can give. Build networks with people who share your interests, as well as those who do not, especially if you wish to change roles or industries. Relationships often provide access to potential collaborators or supporters, rather than real opportunities.
5 Invest in yourself
Continuous learning is no longer just a nice-to-have description on a CV; it is now a standard requirement at all levels of management and in all industries. Gone are the days when you could rely on a single degree earned ten years ago with no evidence of ongoing learning, skill development, or improvement. It is vital to be intentional in what you invest in, always have the final route you want to pursue in your career in mind and have the buy-in of your mentor or sponsors as well as your organisation, because you will need their support.
Also invest in your soft skills such as confidence, speaking, networking skills, presenting, handling, and resolving conflict, not just your hard skills and qualifications. This can be attained through career or executive coaching. Anyone in a managerial position who manages people needs this. Don’t wait for an organisation to invest in you; if the opportunity isn’t there, sponsor yourself and empower your future.
6 Count yourself in, not out
Women are very realistic, naturally humbler than men, and always like being empathetic and considerate about their ask. Count yourself in; it’s trust yourself and building the muscle of asking for what you want, because if you don’t ask, you deserve nothing. If you ask and the answer is no, you lose nothing, but there is a 50/50 chance it could be yes. And where it is not, there is often a reason or a lesson, but it must be expressed. Don’t count yourself out before even trying.
7 Work-life balance doesn’t exist
Being self-aware allows you to determine what your priorities are at each stage of your life. You can have a family, a career, and the rest, but how you divide your time between these varies based on seasons, priorities, and circumstances. True balance is attained when you consciously structure your life around your priorities rather than being reactive. You must convey these priorities to everyone involved and establish boundaries so that the balance is proportional to your present life, seasons, and requirements. But no, you can’t have equal proportional splits between work and life − one will take more from you at different times, and that is okay.
Author
Khuthadzo Manana CA(SA), Founder and Chief Executive Coach of Coachingwithmagic
