Play to WIN – Women Mastering Men’s Moves in Business!
Have you ever felt like you needed to adopt a more masculine approach to get ahead in the business world? It’s a sentiment many women share, and it’s rooted in truth—after all, the workplace was historically designed and perfected by men. I’ve navigated this male-dominated terrain throughout my career, from being the sole woman in executive teams at various prestigious institutions to breaking ground in venture capital, a field notoriously populated by men.
But then, an intriguing assignment came my way: to explore the strategies employed by successful women within a major corporation. What I discovered was a game-changer. These women exuded a different kind of energy—they were unapologetically feminine, and therein lay their power.
The modern world is crying out for women’s leadership. We bring inclusivity, collaboration, and a purpose-driven approach to the table. We excel at building relationships and have a nuanced understanding of risk. Yet, to truly harness our potential, we must learn from the playbook men have been using to dominate the business game.
This revelation led me to pen a book, a concise guide that flew off the shelves, titled “Play to Win: What Women Can Learn from Men in Business.” It’s a testament to the power of blending our innate strengths as women with the strategic acumen men have traditionally wielded in the corporate world.
So, let’s dive into some key takeaways from my journey and the book that encapsulates it:
- Business as a Game: Men often see business as a sport where you can win or lose without taking it personally. By adopting this mindset, we can make decisions more swiftly and with greater confidence.
- Don’t Take It Personally: Men are adept at compartmentalising and moving past business disagreements to seize opportunities. As women, cultivating the ability to separate emotions from business can be a game-changer.
- Visibility and Self-Promotion: Waiting to be noticed isn’t a strategy. We must become our own PR agents, unafraid to showcase our achievements and assert our value in the marketplace.
- Bold Moves Over Incremental Steps: Women often approach business cautiously, making small, careful moves. However, sometimes the situation calls for bold leaps to achieve significant progress.
- Ask, Don’t Hint: Be direct in your requests and negotiations. Men don’t shy away from asking for what they want, and neither should we.
- No Means Not Yet: Men view rejection as a temporary setback, not a final verdict. When faced with a ‘no,’ they regroup and re-strategise rather than backing down.
- Leverage Your Network Like a Man: Men utilise their networks effectively, without hesitation. Women can benefit from embracing a similar approach, building broader alliances and asking for help when needed.
The journey to success is not about emulating men but rather about learning from their strategies and integrating them with our unique qualities as women. By playing to our strengths and understanding the rules of the game, we become an unstoppable force in the world of business.
Let’s not wait for perfection before we leap. Let’s not be our own worst critics. Instead, let’s step into the game with the knowledge that we are already powerful players. It’s time to play to win, on our terms.
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