职场女神:高效女性的七大习惯(双语)
Economic downturns aside, the road to success as a businesswoman is not an easy one. While the hope is that the working world is gender-blind, women face certain challenges that men often avoid. Fortunately, there are plenty of successful, effective women who have killed it in the business world to keep the rest of the female population hopeful motivated. And while many of the assets of these women are gender-neutral, some of the habits and skills they share come from harnessing and molding uniquely female strengths to their advantage. All it takes is perseverance, organization and an unwavering sense of self. Piece of cake, right? 1. Have Confidence No matter what your trajectory may be, having confidence in yourself and your goals is hands-down the top quality you will need for success. This confidence will fuel the ultimate edge in any profession: perseverance. “(Perseverance) requires an unwavering sense of self-belief about yourself, your product, your mission,” said Maseena Ziegler, author of a No. 1 best-selling book in Hong Kong, "Ladies Who Launch in Hong Kong. Perseverance is the characteristic common to the 12 female entrepreneurs about whom Ziegler wrote. 2. Monitor Emotions While men struggle with being vulnerable and emotive, women are encouraged from an early age to express their emotions. This can prove problematic in the workplace. Letting emotions take over in a business setting can often mean losing control of the situation. If emotions overwhelm in the workplace, go for an extended bathroom break and get out what ails you. If you're finding yourself doing this every day, it may be an indicator to examine your current work situation. 3. Organize and Structure Whether you’re working for yourself or someone else, having your own personal structure to a day is a huge help in making strides toward your goals. Roussel advises taking one step at a time and one day at a time, and not allowing yourself to be overwhelmed by larger, long-term goals. Writing a to-do list is a simple, satisfying way to tackle a day's objectives. Whether your schedule is set for you or you create it yourself, sticking to a structured day — even in your personal life — is imperative. Mandell stresses the need to be prompt in work-related activities. Don't make excuses of being a "late person" to yourself or others. Make a point of changing that behavior. Being late to work, a meeting, or even to a social gathering, will imply either that you don’t have your act together or that your time is more important than that of the person who was waiting for you. Being prompt reflects courtesy and reliability, both of which are powerful traits in business. 4. Hone Communication Skills Speaking from behind a lectern, participating in a conference call or composing an email, excellent communication skills are essential. While some people may be naturally gregarious or charismatic, even introverted women may still excel at this, as long as they are assertive and pay attention to detail. “What you have to remember is that you’re an intelligent, articulate woman and you’ve more than earned your place at the table.” If you have a tendency toward falling back on weaker language, prepare what you have to say in advance of any meeting so that you’re sure of the words coming out of your mouth. 5. Find a Mentor or Community It is crucial to actively seek out women with whom to connect in your industry. It is easy to get wrapped up in seeing another woman as a threat, but that will only keep both of you down. Invite a female colleague to play tennis or lunch. Or you can go an even more basic route. When you’re just starting out or changing careers, seek out women in your industry and build relationships with them. 6. Keep Personal Life Personal In most modern work environments, the line between friends and co-workers is often blurred, and before you know it, your entire office knows about your marital woes or your chronic insomnia. Mandell advises against revealing too much about your personal life in the workplace. “Be it romantic life, home life or health,” she said, “if you say you have a headache, guys are going to think, ‘Oh, it’s that time of the month.’ ” Gushing about your personal problems will give colleagues an altered perception of who you are as a person. The relationships will seem more frivolous and casual. And while there’s no problem with being friends outside of work with your co-workers, refrain from talking about last night’s traumatic first date until your lunch break. By the same token, it is critical to protect your personal life from being invaded by your career. While many people check emails until bedtime, make sure that when you want a break — whether to connect with a family member or go for a run — the phones go away. Not only is it good manners, but it allows you to take a mental vacation from the intensity of the work day. Balancing those two sides of life — knowing how to distance yourself from work in personal time and from personal life during work — will help you thrive in both worlds. 7. Stay Informed and Connected Of the women interviewed, most begin their days checking newspapers, blogs, RSS feeds, Facebook and Twitter to stay connected with the world around them. Knowing what’s happening in your own career field — from real estate to teaching 1st grade — will set you apart from the pack. Seek out blogs, set up Google alerts, and follow leaders in your industry on Twitter to keep yourself continually in the loop with what’s happening each day. This will allow you to be ready to participate in any conversation and come up with new, relevant ideas. Social networks, if you know how to use them, are valuable resources. Roussel makes a point of commenting on posts, wishing people happy birthday, and providing updates about herself to ensure that her network is continually maintained. “Keeping in touch, putting yourself out there, networking … you never know," she said. "You can connect with someone online and then months later they give you the biggest job you’ve ever had.” As long as you set time aside in your schedule, you may happily browse your global community to maintain connections with people in every facet of business. |