Women have come a long way – from not having the right to vote or work to successfully running several fortune 500 companies. And while this journey thus far has resulted in many victories, it certainly hasn’t been an easy one. Unlike other sections of society, women have had to fight for every right they have, and they still continue to do so. No matter how far we come, there will be certain business adversity that women will have to encounter and overcome. Whether it is taking less time off after having a baby or surgery out of the fear of losing their position, having comparatively lesser pay than their male counterparts, or facing unconscious bias.
Every successful female entrepreneur has had their fair share of adversities. No number of “proven methods” or “fail-proof strategies” can prevent obstacles from knocking on your door. The only thing you can do in the face of challenges is to adopt the right mindset to tackle them powerfully.
When starting a business, the one thing we all might look out for is advice, guidance and support. Many coaches and mentors can provide you with the steps and tricks to run your business efficiently. However, a more important lesson they might fail to provide you with is developing the qualities and emotional strength that will help you overcome the adversities at work. Women are known to inherently possess strong emotional intelligence. This has also been associated with their ability to excel in interpersonal communication, multi-tasking, and people management skills. However, at the same time, women have also had to use these qualities to overcome adversities at work. Although with the rise of feminism and gender-difference awareness, there is a slight decline in the difficulties women face in workplaces. Nonetheless, that doesn’t mean that things are going to change completely.
Here are things that women must develop to effectively buck the trends and tackle business adversity –
1. Be Resilient
Hardships are an inevitable part of life. We all face it, regardless of gender. However, women often have an added burden of proving their competence and their abilities while facing everyday challenges at work. This can only add on to their already great number of workplace stressors. In the face of adversity, having the ability to be resilient and bounce back can be the determining factor if a woman can grow in her career or get passed over for someone else.
Being resilient takes away the power from the problems you face. Instead, it allows you to stay on top of your game. If you can deal with whatever is thrown at you and continue to focus on your end goal, there won’t be anything coming in between your success. Cultivate the belief that your circumstances and adversities don’t affect your achievements, but your internal fortitude does. We can’t control the situations around us, but we can control how we react to those situations. Resilience can boost your mental well-being and overall productivity and help you become more flexible in every situation. With workplaces embedded with stress and problems, staying resilient in the face of any obstacle will only build your mental agility. And this will prepare you for any storms to come.
2. Let Go of Self-Pity
When we are put in a disadvantageous position, it is our primitive defense mechanism to indulge in self-pity. It is a place wherein we exaggeratingly wallow in our woes and feel bad about our situation by blaming others. Whilst none of us might actually own up to feeling self-pity because it reflects on our insecurity, it is undeniable that it still lingers in our minds and consumes us. Self-pity can be comforting because it validates your setbacks and becomes a form of self-preservation. Well, as reassuring self-pity may seem, the “why-me” card can be detrimental to your long-term success.
As women, we undergo several painful moments which does entitle us to some degree of self-pity. It’s okay to be affected by the things that go wrong in our lives. However, at some point, one has to shake it off and get back on their path. Once you choose not to wallow in self-pity and perpetual sadness, you will be able to move forward and make constructive decisions to improve your work. Doing so doesn’t discredit your pain and struggle. It only takes power away from it and, instead, gives it to you. If you seek success, you must rise above your circumstances and regain control of your life. It is important to realize that women don’t need anyone’s pity, least of all their own.
3. Be your Best Advocate
Due to the traditional gender norms, especially in a partially conservative country like India, women are brought up feeling less confident about their abilities when compared to men. This leads to them having self-confidence issues and doubting their own capabilities. However, if you want to succeed in your business and break the age-old societal norms, then change needs to begin within you. One of the most crucial qualities that every successful female entrepreneur must have is self-advocacy. In a world where it is easy for women to be overlooked, self-advocacy will allow you to know your worth, find your voice and use it effectively.
Having self-advocacy enables you to speak for yourself and make yourself known. It helps you to identify your needs and communicate them to others, which is vital in the business world. As women, the only person we have in our corner is ourselves. When you are your best advocate, you will make the best decisions to help you succeed. If you practice self-advocacy, you can voice your opinions, suggestions and demands that will help in your career advancement.
Thus, these qualities will help you to tackle the adversities in your workplace and ensure that you perform up to your maximum potential. Forging new paths towards success is always challenging. Once you accept that adversities are a part of life, you can continue on your journey headstrong. Eventually, you will find the strength within yourself to overcome the obstacles and excel in your business.
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