One of the biggest fears that I hear from readers is that they are scared that they will get stuck and never be promoted to a leadership position. They are scared because their companies don’t have funding for training and personal development and they aren’t challenged to grow and develop.

If this sounds familiar, it’s time to take your development and future growth into your own hands this year and start becoming the leader that you want to be today.

“Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can.” -Arthur Ashe

Here are the 6 steps to becoming an effective female leader:

Lean into your influence with integrity and develop a leader’s attitude.

A leader’s attitude is quickly picked up by her followers and is a big consideration for those being considered for executive promotion. Your attitude toward colleagues, the company’s policies and your attitude toward your work are being watched by your followers AND your managers!

Escalate and understand your leadership strengths.

When you do this you will quickly gain confidence. Being an effective female leader is not about pretending to be someone else but it is understanding your unique leadership style and what makes you an effective leader. There are strengths that females have that men don’t, and that’s what will make you a great leader.

Avoid time management and stresses with delegation and self-discipline. 

One of your most crucial skills as leader is being able to make TIME to complete all of your projects AND make your visions happen. That’s the difference between being a “hamster on a wheel” versus finishing that big project. As a leader, how you manage your time directly affects the productivity of your team. That is why it is so important that we tackle this topic.

If you can’t manage your time well, you will not be able to manage your career satisfaction, leadership strengths or relationships in the office. It is the pivotal point of everything else that you do.

Demystify working with men, managing men, and negotiating with men. 

Ever thought that men were difficult to figure out? For a female manager working in a male dominated environment, dealing with gender expectations and stereotypes can be an additional stress to go with the everyday problems of management.

Learning more about what motivates men at work will help you navigate the gender politics and help you establish trust and respect along the way.

Enhance your communication techniques and coach a winning team.

A coach brings out the best in others and helps them realize their potential. That’s what you want to do.  And in order to do that, you must communicate to establish trust with honesty, an open mind and authority. Leadership is about followers.

When you’re communicating to other people directly, your confidence is an inspiring trait.  If you can be authentic and exceed the standards you ask of others, you are headed in the right direction.

Re-assemble your tribe and create your future leadership vision.  

One of the biggest mistakes that holds women back from becoming leaders is neglecting to network. We have to extend our networks, inside and outside the company. We all need a tribe (network) because a tribe will teach us new things and help us do our jobs better.

Our tribe will help us realize our true potential and strategize the most effective path to make our visions happen.  Guys are always building their “boy’s network” and it’s time for you to do the same whether or not you are job searching right now.

Did you notice that the beginning of each these steps spells LEADER!  Yep! 

Talk to you soon!

-Anna