Girl Power. That unexplainable feeling which enables us women, to be confident, independent, strong and at the same time also compassionate and bold to open up to our vulnerabilities.
However, oftentimes we are taught to hide that compassion and anything that looks like vulnerability. But being able to show compassion is actually one of the most powerful things we possess and yet the most overlooked in the corporate workplace.
Whether we realise it or not, we are often taught to act in a certain way in order to be recognised for our work. Because after all, if you want to take a seat at the corporate table, you should ‘never’ display your female characteristics such as compassion, empathy, nurturance, sensitivity… and the list goes on. It seems like the more you ‘pretend’ to be something (or someone) you’re not, the more chance you have at winning this corporate game.
And unfortunately, this seems to have led to the rise of corporate mean girls: women who will literally do everything and anything to bring other women down in the workplace in order to:
- Make themselves feel and look better
- Get a promotion or raise
- Climb up the corporate ladder
- Gain favour from certain colleagues (mostly in managerial positions)
- Have a seat at the corporate table in the boardroom with all the men…
‘Trying to be a man, is a waste of a woman’ – Coco Chanel
Embracing your inner girl power means supporting other women
Embracing your inner girl power doesn’t mean you are weak. It doesn’t mean you have to allow people to walk all over you, it doesn’t mean you shouldn’t speak up when you have to. Embracing your inner girl power means that you allow yourself to be vulnerable enough to help another woman succeed while you succeed too!
Instead of standing against one another in competition, we should rather be standing together encouraging each other. Knowing that my struggle in the workplace is not any different from yours. Instead of fighting each other let’s fight together and press for progress on issues such as:
- Equality in the workplace
- Equal pay for women
- Justice for sexual harassment in the workplace
So how do you fully embrace your inner girl power?
Embrace who you are
We live in a society where we are made to believe that as a girl you should wake up ‘flawless’, look ‘flawless’ and be ‘flawless’ at all times and at all costs. Truth is, you and I are not going to be ‘flawless’, ever! And the sooner we realise that, the better. The first step to embracing your inner girl power is by being content with who you are. Let go of what society thinks you need to be.
Embrace where you are
Whether you are single, dating or married, embrace your own journey. You might not have your dream career yet or you might not have started that business or landed that promotion yet, and that’s okay – YOU ARE NOT, I repeat, YOU ARE NOT in competition. So stop comparing yourself to others. Your purpose is unique, trust the timing of your life. Focus on you, do you and always continue to work towards that which you want to achieve.
Own your insecurities
The first step to overcoming our insecurities is by acknowledging that we have them. Bringing each other down for the qualities we wish we had or the things we wish we could do will not help us progress.
If you are insecure about your work, own it and make a decision to improve and work on yourself. If you need to join a training or course, go for it. If you need to change your work environment, do it. Don’t allow your insecurities to stop you from celebrating another woman’s success and accomplishments.
