If you are a female in a commercial business environment, you aren't lonely. In fact, more females are connecting to major businesses daily. Still, if you are female in management role in that business context, you are certainly in the minority.
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It can be a frightening task trying to deal with your team, specifically if that team happens to have mainly of males. So, here are some quick tips to help you gain the upper hand:
Own Your Success:
If you are a female leader in a business environment, look at how you got there. Surely, something about you made you promote to such a position. So, even though you might feel in over your head a little to start, don't immediately assume that you will fail. Confidence is one of the keys to success for anyone in a leadership role, whether they are male or female.
Control Your Emotions:
You are going to encounter peoples on occasion who discriminate between genders. You can't necessarily change their view, but you can keep yourself from adding to the problem. Maintaining a professional attitude during an uncomfortable discussion or confrontation is one of the signs of a great leader.
Encourage Communication:
Many women in leadership roles try too hard to prove that they know what they are doing. That causes them to stop communicating with the team. Instead, they make a decision and stick to it. That often leads to a complete breakdown of team morale. As a female leader, it's reasonable to be a little nervous about your team taking you seriously. However, they are likely to respect your opinions and your authority more when you also respect their opinions.