Women in Leadership - How to Get Promoted

It is often much harder for women to get promoted than men. The most common characteristic of successful women is that they know how to express their excellence in a male dominated environment. How do they do it?

Most of us are promoted to due to our excellence expressed through one or two opportunities. These were usually based on 'hard issues' that contributed significantly to the business in some critical period.

In our promotion, was the assumption, that we could work out how to express our excellence universally. For most of us this has not been so straightforward. We have had difficulty getting our message to the right people at the right time.

The 'critical periods' of the business generally took care of either the soft issues - the people based priorities, or the hard issues-the projects at hand, and we took care of the other.

Now that period is past and our leadership is being assessed on a different foundation. We are expected to lead on the soft and hard priorities of the business with equal competence.

The stock exchange intimately understands extraordinary performance to be leadership driven. Not all stocks command the same premiums, leadership and communication of the company vision is reflected in its stock price. When company management changes, stock prices reflect the mass perception of this change in leadership.

There has long been intense interest in the competencies that consistently deliver outstanding performance! Our knowledge of what causes the differences has increased dramatically. However, our ability to impart the knowledge broadly, to enable more people to achieve these results, has remained about the same. There is some assumption we have about how people learn high-level leadership skills that is not true.

There are three personal disciplines required of us to competently deliver results. All three are common knowledge, however only two are widely taught, externally measured and impartially assessed. The other is taught one-on-one and is measured objectively and subjectively.

Firstly, physical discipline - the willingness to work hard. Most knowledge workers intimately understand this. They work long hours, continually strive to fit more into each day and achieve quality decision-making. Physical discipline can be readily assessed externally, it is what we might call the breadth or scope of the work; how many issues we can manage simultaneously and not lose sight of our contribution to the vision.

Secondly, mental discipline - to be able to deal with the issue or meeting at hand, and handle it once. This requires us to leave other issues at the door. Sometimes this is easy and sometimes it is not. Mental discipline is the productivity of our leadership; how many sound decisions we are making that consistently support the vision.

Both these issues can be measured quantitatively to assess performance. The measurements are impartial and allow considerable flexibility of leadership style. Both disciplines are well understood and we can develop them readily in others.

Thirdly, we need emotional discipline. The ability to enable individuals, teams, or a community, to contribute to, or comply with our decisions.

This requires us to:

* Step aside from our own emotional reactions and so become unattached to the personalities and problems associated with the outcomes.

* Understand the emotional nature of our team, community or Corporation, to enable communication of the meaning to each of them, and,

* Through this be able to engage them to the vision in a meaningful and consistent way for delivery of the results.

This is complex behaviour, with little common language. It has a powerful input to the results depending what is fuelled - engaging, disengaging or fence sitting!

Women therefore need to be able define their emotional intelligence to express their contribution.

Emotional intelligence is ability to express the above three competencies at the right time, the right place and to the right people. This expression is delivered through insightful moments.

Leadership is measured by our ability to command insight in the critical moments of projects and personal interactions.

This article may be reproduced in printed or web format, provided the resource box below is included.

Rosemary Johnston is a professional corporate and personal coach. Working with executives from some of Australia's largest and most successful companies for over 15 years.

Rosemary's new book, "How To Develop Your Leadership Style and Skills" is now available to download at her web site. Read about some of the success Rosemary has had coaching leaders in Australian blue chip companies. http://www.leadershipfirst.com.au

---

5 Power Keys For Leadership Success!

Did you know that you can successfully handle most leadership... Read More

Develop a We Focus And Not a Me Focus

"There's only one thing more contagious than a good attitude... Read More

Effective Leaders are (#2) Technical

SET CLEAR AND REASONABLE OBJECTIVES FOR THEMSELVES AND OTHERS: Plan?... Read More

Tough Times Demand Resilient Leaders

The stock market gyrates with unpredictable and heartburning results. Icons... Read More

Follow My Leader - To Effect Change, Leaders Must Walk the Talk!

A leader's roleIn any change project, a leader must wear... Read More

Leadership Skills - 10 Ways to Beef Up

10 Ways to Beef Up Your Leadership SkillsHave you ever... Read More

To be, or Not to be (Average)?

When is hate OK? When it's the feeling you have... Read More

Charismatic Leadership

What motivates people to work and to achieve? What circumstances... Read More

Secrets of Creating Success with Ease

Do you ever strum your fingers on the desk top... Read More

3 Cs Leaders Must Communicate!

"Of every noble work the silent part is best, Of... Read More

Ten Characteristics of Leadership

Many people are interested in the characteristics of a great... Read More

Leadership Lessons from Pope John Paul II

"Heroes are rebels with a cause. Rebels because they challenge... Read More

Are You a Good Manager or a Great Leader?

Your word is your truth - Know that when you... Read More

The Four Laws Of Leadership (Part Two)

In Part One, I described the laws of motivation. In... Read More

Leadership: 9 Universal Laws

1. The Law of Authoritarian StyleAuthoritarian leaders lead by control... Read More

Managing Monsters in Meetings - Part 5, Dominant Participants

While dominant participants contribute significantly to the success of a... Read More

Leadership: Wisdom of the Ages

If you gather 100 experienced leaders together to share with... Read More

10 Smart Ways Leaders Can Bring Out the Best in Others

You are a leader. Everyone is a leader. It doesn't... Read More

Teen View of Leadership From Around the World

It has been stated that the world of tomorrow will... Read More

E=MC - Is It In Me?

How many times have you seen the E = MC2... Read More

The Metamorphosis of the Successful Executive . . . Overcoming Professional Stagnation

You're a bright, successful business executive making good money and... Read More

Thoughtleading: The Art of Separating Yourself from the Pack

Lately the age-old business dilemma of how to stand out... Read More

Creating Unlimited Belief for Success!

What's holding your team back from experiencing "breakout performance"?It may... Read More

Ten Steps To Effective Leadership

Many people end up in a supervisory position or SOHO... Read More

A Winning Choice for Leadership!

"The only way to enjoy anything in this life, is... Read More

Strengthening Leadership Development with Employees

Within every business lies a network of people who are... Read More

Supervisor Training: Helpful Tips to Lead Your Pack

A new supervisor is hired to anchor a gardening project... Read More

The Defining Moment: The Straw That Stirs The Drink Of Motivational Leadership (Part One)

Decades ago, as a rifle platoon commander in the Marines,... Read More

From Failure To Victory; The Cats Out Of The Bag!

Did you ever think that all of the great heroes... Read More

The Flexible Leadership Workshop

The Leadership ChallengeLeaders in today's society are faced with an... Read More

A Leader?s Ultimate Goal ? Connect to Engage!

Connect and Engage! Your People Are Your Power.It's been said... Read More

Premature Articulation

Ask anyone about what makes a good leader and they... Read More

A Whack Up Long Side The Head Of Human Resources: The Leadership Imperative

When we perceive the simple center in the seemingly complex,... Read More