In the latest of our ‘Top Reads’ ahead of the Women in Leadership Forum in Barcelona on 5 October, Bonnie Marcus examines how women can take control of their own ambition. Marcus believes that these tips can help all of us to avoid the ‘societal norms and expectations around gender’ which often hold women back.
Along with standard advice such as creating a strategic career plan, Marcus notes that women have to let go of the idea that work performance alone will get you ahead. She provides seven thought-provoking tips for women to boost their own ambition.
What strategies have you used to develop your career? Share your experiences with Borderless Consultants Rosalie Harrison and June Nilsson who will present at Women in Leadership via Twitter @borderlessexec #WomeninLeadership or LinkedIn http://bit.ly/2aAevd8
Read: The 7 Most Effective Ways For Women To Own Their Ambition
As leader, you should be focused on seven interlocking business domains: the corporate portfolio, innovation, supply chains, sustainability, technology, capital and liquidity, and talent. To deliver long-term profitable growth across these domains, you’ll need to be decisive and unsentimental, experimental and ambitious, prudent, and patient. And above all, you’ll need to be persistent.
Do not let “But it is easier if I do it myself!” become your mantra. Delegation provides the opportunity for managers to show confidence in their employees and talents. It shows that managers believe in the decision making skills of their employees. This builds a stronger level of trust as a whole within the company.
We’ve all worked for bosses who could have been better — in some cases much better — but inexplicably they remain in charge. Barbara Kellerman has been studying that phenomenon for much of her career. Her latest book, “Leadership from Bad to Worse: What Happens When Bad Festers,” is both a cautionary tale and a call to action.
