“Women can’t have it all” said Indira Nooyi. I agree! And it’s best if all women professional aspiring for a successful career accept that they can’t have it all. They can’t do it all by themselves. They can’t be perfect at everything. Don’t push yourself against the wall trying to do it all perfectly. It’s alright if the curtains are not laundered every fortnight or the fan is not sparkling clean.
Behind every successful woman professional there’s always a supportive family. She can’t be worrying about who is feeding the baby or who will run the other household errands while discussing business plans in that meeting room.
In the 16 years of my career journey I have had some valuable learning and developed some simple opinions that I mean to share.
Switch your hats well: Women are often treated as more emotional ones who can’t make tough decisions just like at home. Contrary to the stereotypes, women can be real tough. So exercise your best judgment and make the right decisions, however, tough they may be.
Talk about your success with pride: In my personal opinion, women are hard working but lack confidence. Women hate to make their own propaganda and as a result their work doesn’t get noticed. Celebrate your achievements; talk about your success. It’s essential to market good work.
Ask for help: Women generally reel under their own pressure – they don’t ask for help. Remember one doesn’t become vulnerable by asking for help – identify the right mentor for specific situations and ask for help. I once had a line manager who became a great mentor when I was going through a career break-point. Thanks to him I am still going strong. You can also use this opportunity to build rapport and seek career advice. It works wonders!
Build bridges; establish network: Its important to make good relationships at work – with seniors, stakeholders and colleagues. Connect with your team over coffee breaks or team lunches. Engage with stakeholders and make professional relationships.
A few years back I was invited with a few other female colleagues for a hi-tea with my HR Head. This conversation was about promoting women leaders. I remember asking a question and the answer still makes me comfortable during tough times. The question was ‘how do you balance both work and home?’ She laughed it out and said “I don’t balance it.
I can’t balance it! Sometimes my family outweighs my priorities and at times it’s my work, so I can never balance it equally.”
True said! Why do we always talk about balancing work and home? As long as we can prioritize our life well and put things in place at the right time, that should do it!
I recall going through a situation when I decided I had to prioritize my personal agenda and decided to take a break. I managed to settle things in 1.5 years flat and guess what – I was offered to come back to my own organization – what more could I ask for? My friends had moved past my level and yes it took me sometime to reach their levels – it required a little more hard work – but determination and a good support system at home was all I needed.
Today when I look back, I am happy I took charge of my life. So here’s my advice to all those working women who also want to be equally successful in their personal lives – it’s not about the position or the money alone, it’s about being in control of your life; it’s about chasing your aspirations. So ladies – go for it!
Disclaimer: This article was first published in Flexicareers.
