I would not be where I am today without the mentorship and advice of other women. My mentor sat me down, got out her Rolodex, connected me to her network and encouraged me.  Because of her, I got my first job before I even graduated from college.  On the other hand, I worked for a woman who talked about me behind my back and tried to get me fired.  After a few years of trying to patiently deal with her insecurity and jealousy, I couldn’t take it any longer and requested to transfer to a different team.

I believe that women need to support each other as much as they can. If you are successful at managing your work and life responsibilities, you must share what you have learned.  Your advice can help other young professional women not make the same mistakes. The more that we encourage and help one another, the more successful we ALL will be.

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Here are 12 ways you can support other women at work that will change lives in the future:

1. Offer to mentor and coach another young professional woman to become the successful person you know she can be.
2. Ask someone you work with to lunch today.  Forget about your to-do list and spend time getting to know those you work with every day.
3. Initiate a women’s forum at your company to highlight women leaders and encourage discussion of women’s issues in the workplace.
4. Offer to speak at schools and colleges about your job and how you became who you are today.
5. Set an example. Be aware that other women around you notice if you are constantly being pulled in a million different directions and are stressed out by life. Is this the kind of role model you want young women looking up to?
6. Have an open door. Are you approachable?
7. Attend motivational seminars and events with your staff.
8. Don’t make assessment time just another check in the box. Be honest and give those who work for you true development actions that will make them better over the next year.
9. Write down what you know and share it with others by blogging or submitting articles to magazines or blogs.
10. Never, ever gossip or talk about someone behind their back. If you have a problem with someone, tell them in person.
11. Don’t measure others on appearance and don’t be judgmental.
12. Celebrate others successes instead of being jealous.

No one wins when women don’t support each other. How can you help other women at work?