Keep Your Energy Flowing in an On-the-Go World

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Life is busy. Between trying to excel at work, keep up with household chores, spend quality time with our loved ones, and enjoy hobbies, we are all striving to balance our commitments on different fronts. The modern world is fast-paced and it can be exhausting trying to keep up if you aren’t taking proper care of yourself. Remember that your body and mind are your vessels, and they need maintenance to operate to their full potential.

Cultivating Good Physical Health

Physical energy is fully reliant on how you treat your body. Eating well and including proper nutrition is critical. Just like a car, if you put bad fuel into your body, it will run poorly. If you do not get enough rest, you will not have the focus or energy the next day to be at your best. Exercise is also an important part of good health. It not only builds stamina (which will lead to more energy) but it makes your body strong and gets out any excess jitters.

Taking good care of your physical self directly impacts your quality of life and happiness—when we don’t feel well, we don’t enjoy or make the most of each day. Of course, we all know how important it is to eat properly, hydrate, rest, and exercise (our doctors certainly make that clear), but those fundamental elements of self care are the first to go out the window when we get busy. We get involved in a project and work through lunch. We drink sugary lattes and soda to get through the afternoon. We crash on the couch, exhausted, after dinner. We stay up too late to watch just one more episode of our favorite show. All the things we know we shouldn’t do, and yet we do them anyway. These habits all add up to having less energy to attend to the things we care about in our lives.

Exploring Mental Wellbeing

Your mental state impacts your energy and motivation just as much as your physical health. If you are anxious, sad, or overwhelmed, it can be difficult to overcome those emotions to accomplish the day’s tasks. While you cannot always block out your feelings, especially when difficult things are happening in your life, you can explore your mental health in a way that allows you to productively experience and harness your emotions, rather than letting them take control of you.

Meditation is an excellent practice in clearing your mind and grounding yourself. Not only will you enjoy a quiet and peaceful moment to yourself, but you will feel refreshed and focused. You can use guided meditation from a video or podcast, or simply meditate on your own. Yoga is also beneficial to both the mind and body and allows you to reconnect with yourself spiritually and physically.

If meditation isn’t your forte, try to check in with yourself in the morning and throughout the day. How are you feeling? Are you relaxed and focused, or tense and anxious? By occasionally taking the time to acknowledge how you are doing, you can address your mental state as it comes. Similarly, practice deep breathing at different intervals. Sit back from your desk, take your hand off your mouse, relax your muscles, and take a moment to inhale and exhale. Assess how your day going and what you can do to maintain or change that.

There are many other ways to promote good mental health. Some people enjoy journaling, others consciously set intentions each morning, and those who are religious may take solace in their holy book. TED Talks or an inspiring podcast might also be uplifting for you and bring your energy level up to excitement. Experiment with different methods and find out what helps you the most; this may change over time, but you can always reassess.

Remember, it’s ok to have an off day. Sometimes no matter what you do, your energy simply is low. You are human and it happens. Be kind to yourself, do the best you can that day, and resolve to do better tomorrow. However, keeping up with mental and physical practices consistently will generate overall good health and energy and keep the bad days to a minimum.

Belinda MJ Brown shares her own healthy practices here.

How do you keep your energy up during your busy days? Let us know in the comments section!

 

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Creating Common Goals with Your Team Cultivates Personal and Organizational Success

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How to Set Common Goals

In a business, it goes without saying that the vision for the company should dictate goals for its employees. Whether this is in the form of a business plan, mission statement, or value proposition, having aspirational forethought keeps everyone in the organization working for the same outcomes. However, success will not look the same in different departments, given their different functions. This makes it critical for teams and departments to create their own common goals that support the overall mission of the company, but also helps employees explore and grow individually. Here’s how you can set common goals with your team to set each other up for success.

 

Have a Discussion

 

The first step to setting common goals is to get everyone together to discuss what their own goals are, both in the personal and professional realms. Everyone needs to be involved. This is a crucial meeting of the minds for any team; by stating what we want out loud we are acknowledging our hopes, committing to pursuing those goals, and giving coworkers an opportunity to support each other. This is also a great time to help those unsure members articulate what it is they hope to accomplish.

 

Goals may be directly job-related, like increasing sales or improving customer service, or may involve learning a specific skill that can be integrated into the workplace, such as video editing or photography. The doors should be open for all employees to take initiative within their roles and evolve in a way that fits them personally.

 

Figure Out How It All Fits Together

 

Once everyone has laid out their own goals, the team can then discuss how to help everyone meet them, and also how everyone’s aspirations can take on a symbiotic relationship. The types of goals may be very different from one another, but they can all exist together.

 

If one team member is interested in podcasts, and another wants to expand revenue-generating activities, that is a project they can take on together. A podcast for the company can be created with the hope of earning sponsors or paid advertising, and is a great vehicle for establishing the company’s brand.

 

Be careful not to compare the merits of each goal because you run the risk of creating hurt feelings or accidentally belittling someone’s dreams; this will not result in a productive conversation. For example, making more money and contributing to the greater good do not have to be mutually exclusive. It is not amoral to hope to bring in a larger paycheck as long as it is done honestly. Contributing to the greater good doesn’t have to be a drain on resources and might not be able to be the focus of every project. Both of these objectives can occur together with planning.

 

Once goals are established and mapped out, it is time to circle back and ensure that they all support the overall vision of the company. This is not as challenging or intimidating as it may sound. If the mission statement is well-laid out, most intentions can be explored and honed to fit fairly easily.

 

Setting milestones is a great way to keep the team on track both with their own aspirations, as well as with their contributions to the business. It offers each member a road map so they can identify where they are, where they need to be, and how they can get there. These milestones must simultaneously stretch and challenge workers while still being achievable. If the checkpoints are not reasonably attainable, workers will grow frustrated and lose interest in the process. Striking a balance between encouraging growth and promoting achievement is key.

 

To keep everyone on the same page, hold regularly-scheduled goal tracking meetings. This is a great time for everyone to catch up and analyze how things are going. Some important questions to ask are:

  • How is this working?
  • How engaged are we as a team?
  • Are we meeting goals? If not, why not?
  • Do we need to recalibrate?
  • Who needs more support?

 

Setting common goals is important to keep employees focused not just on just results, but also on the process. We can meet the vision for the organization by letting each individual pursue their own goals while simultaneously acting for the good of the company.

 

We often forget to have this conversation with our employees, because the general mindset is company before self. However, everyone can get to where they want to be together, without compromising the organization’s mission. It’s all about finding ways to make it work through common goals. Our teams will be more engaged if they feel they have the autonomy to explore the boundaries of their roles and pursue company-related projects that excite them.

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The Kim Kardashian West Conversion

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A polarizing public figure and reality star, Kim Kardashian West is one of those celebrities you either love or hate. She is often slammed for being vain, vapid, and fame-obsessed, among other things. Now, she is being criticized for wanting to pursue a career in law, following in the footsteps of her father Robert Kardashian.

 

While her method to becoming a lawyer seems unconventional (you can read more about it here), it is both legitimate and legal. She is putting in her time through independent study and apprenticeship, and yet that is not enough for the critics, who feel she should “stay in her lane.”

 

Kardashian West has been extremely successful in building her brand and becoming an accomplished businesswoman, which is often overlooked as “less than” because she is a reality star, social media figure, and fashion guru, therefore she hasn’t done anything “important.” She is often viewed by the public as someone who is shallow and incapable of contributing to society. Needless to say, the public has had trouble taking seriously the revelation that Kardashian West wants to be a lawyer.

 

However, let’s examine the flip side for a minute. Kardashian West has built an empire and a fan base of people who pay attention to her just because of who she is. That is power. It is an incredible use of that power for Kardashian West to better herself through the study of law in the hopes of making an impact as a lawyer. She is in a position to draw attention to the important issues, and will likely inspire her fans to pursue their dream careers and make a difference in their own way. She deserves respect for moving forward with her education in a way that works for her, regardless of the criticism and taunting she receives.

 

We, and women especially, can learn two things from Kardashian West. Regardless of where you are now and what you are doing, you can always branch out in a new direction, pursue a new dream, and try things that are seemingly opposite of your current path. It doesn’t and shouldn’t matter, and it is definitely never too late. There is a time and place to “stay in your own lane,” but the process of chasing your dreams and goals should never be one of them. Secondly, you cannot pay attention to the haters. Kardashian West (and many others in history) would never have gotten to the level of success they have achieved if they had taken personally the comments of even one doubter. When you do something that is unexpected, for some reason others may have a hard time coping with that—and it’s not your problem. Your story is about you, and your life should be lived for the things that fulfill you. Everything else is just background noise.

 

Whether you are a big fan of the Kardashian clan or not, it is admirable for Kardashian West to take a risk and challenge herself. It will be interesting to see what she does with this new chapter of her life.

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What Lessons from Physical Therapy Can Teach You About Business

I recently had a hip injury that took several months to heal. After all of that time keeping movement to a minimum and exercise nonexistent, my body mechanics had forgotten how to move properly, not to mention I had lost a lot of strength and stamina. To combat this and keep me from reinjuring myself, my doctor sent me to physical therapy.

 

Without a long medical description, the first part of my PT experience involved reactivating muscles that were underused during my injury but are necessary for healthy and normal body mechanics (and would help prevent my back muscles from kicking in and causing further strain). These types of exercises are small, tedious, and painstaking, albeit very important. Being a former athlete, my instinct was to go big and push my limits, but that isn’t the goal of physical therapy. Instead, the best thing I could do was hold back, and let my muscles rebuild properly. So every day I did my assignments, regardless of how monotonous and boring they were.

 

Each week, I made progress, though small, and after several weeks I moved on to strengthening exercises, which also start at a low level and build up, and feel fairly tedious. But each day I made the commitment to do my PT regimen, and am finally starting to feel stronger and moving correctly. I am now hitting my goals and making much more noticeable progress.

 

I find this experience to be an excellent analogy for life and for your career. Starting small, even when your instinct is to accomplish as much as you can, will help you build a solid foundation from which to work. You may not feel you are getting anywhere, but trust me, you are. Just put in the work one step at a time, and one day you will look back and realize the small progress has all added up. Once you get the wheels turning, you will suddenly have a ton of momentum and strength, which will propel you far, wherever you choose to apply it.

 

When I say start small, I do not mean pare down your aspirations or efforts. I simply want you to put first things first. In a new business, you may just want to hit the ground running with selling your product or service, but you have to do the sometimes tedious work of making a business plan, creating a pricing structure, and figuring out how things are going to work for you. These tasks create the very foundations of your business, and by having your affairs in order, they won’t come back to haunt you when you are doing bigger and better things. If you can push through those crucial first steps and stick with it, your business will be booming before long.

 

So trust the process. Every baby step contributes to the giant leap, even if you can’t see it know. My physical therapist is definitely right on this one.

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Creating Momentum in Your Career: You Have the Power

For many of us who feel the hustle in our veins, we are always trying to level
up in our careers. Success is a constant carrot dangling in front of our
noses; the higher we climb, the more we want to continue. The fastest way
to progress your career and achieve your dreams is to create your own
momentum, which can be easier said than done.

 

Let me take you back to middle school science class for a moment.
Momentum is calculated as mass multiplied by velocity. So the more you
expand and grow and the speed in which you do it creates momentum. It is
hard to start the pendulum swinging when you are at rest, but once you get
moving, momentum in your career will build, and there will be no stopping
you! While there are many ways to build momentum in your industry, here
are some options that you can start with right now.

Learn to Recognize and Create Your Own Opportunities

Opportunity is always out there. The more you train yourself to recognize
them, the more opportunities will present themselves to you. Whether it’s a
new networking connection suggesting you meet for coffee sometime, a
manager looking for solutions on a company pain point, or a local school
needing volunteers to work with students on Career Day, opportunity exists
in many forms. Take note, and throw yourself in wholeheartedly! You never
know where a conversation can lead.

If you are finding that you are in something of an “opportunity drought,” dig
deep and create a new endeavor for yourself. Map out a proposal for an
exciting project at work. Finally, start writing the book you’ve always wanted
to publish. Learn to code your own website. Regardless of what you want to
pursue, you don’t need anyone’s permission to do it. Adding more irons to
your fire will help your career ignite.

Talk Up Your Endeavors

As you embark on the countless opportunities at your fingertips, don’t forget
to tell people what you are up to! They will never know about your new skills
and adventures if you never bring them up! Plus, your coworkers, family,
and friends are likely to want to support you in any way they can. As you
create buzz around yourself and your work, the odds become higher for your
success.

For those of you who avoid self-promotion because you don’t want to “brag,”
don’t think of it in a negative way. Whatever your career entails, it likely involves helping others in some way and that has value. Plus, when you
encourage others to talk up what’s new in their lives as well, and offer them
your own support, you are creating a mutual benefit.

Give Back and Support Others

On a more spiritual side, gratitude and goodwill create more abundance in
your life. By being grateful for where you are right now, you are inviting
more good things into your life. Giving back generates good karma, and
gives you connections with others who you may be able to collaborate with
in the future.

Whether you become a mentor, volunteer with a local organization, or
simply broadcast the successes of others, you are broadening your horizons,
learning new skills, and reminding yourself of what is truly important in life.
At the end of the day, true success means having a positive impact on
someone else, whatever that looks like to you. Regardless of anything else
going on in your work and personal life, if you took the time today to help
others, you are a success.

Essentially, creating momentum in your career starts and ends with you.
Putting yourself out into the world and using your work to interact with
society is crucial to growth and progress. Don’t hold back. Take some risks.
Do what you’ve always wanted.

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What You Do in the Morning Does Have an Effect on Your Career—But Not in the Way You Think

The Internet is inundated with think pieces entitled “Here’s What Successful
People Do in the Morning” or “What You Should Do Before You Start Your
Day in Order to Be Successful.” These well-meaning articles often include
waking up at 3:00 a.m. to get work done or doing a full hour of yoga at
dawn, and imply that you need to be doing these same things order to
generate success for yourself.

In all honesty, waking up in the middle of the night to work sounds
miserable to me, and frankly, I’d be ready for a nap around 8:00 a.m.,
which would then put me behind for the rest of the day. And if you have
small children, you have even less time to get yourself awake and out of the
house in the morning than the average person, and taking time for yoga
probably doesn’t fit into that picture.

What these think pieces forget to mention, is that the schedules of the
successful people that they chronicle were crafted to fit that person at this
particular time in their life. The point isn’t meant to be about the specifics of
what they do to get a head start on the day; it’s that they’ve found what
works for them. And so should you. By doing what works for you in the
morning, you are setting yourself up for a productive day, even if that is
nothing more than drinking a good cup of coffee, taking a hot shower, and
getting dressed. If you try to adjust your routine in a way that doesn’t suit
you, you are actually throwing your attitude and energy off for the rest of
the day because you haven’t gotten an ideal start.

Personally, I keep it simple. I like to take the time to do my hair and
makeup (I find that I am much more ready to take on the day when I feel
good about how I present myself). Sometimes I listen to music or a podcast
while I am getting ready, but most often, I enjoy the sound of silence before
the day gets busy. After that, I spend a few minutes reading my favorite
morning e-newsletters over a cup of coffee. And that’s it—it’s simple and
effective for me.

If you like to get a workout in first thing—more power to you! If that sounds
crazy and exhausting to you, don’t do it. Find what makes your morning
most pleasant; by hanging on to the idea that you have to have a set
routine because that’s what people who are successful and powerful do, you
are setting yourself up to fail because it won’t be enjoyable or useful to you.
Your success isn’t tied to a specific activity or routine, but rather your work
ethic, your attitude, and willingness to learn. So don’t read too much into
the hype of articles that imply that you need to get a whole day’s worth of achievements in before 7:00 a.m.

By all means, if you are looking for inspiration for a new way to structure your morning and find something that you’d like to try, go for it! But don’t feel compelled to stick with it if it doesn’t work out. Mornings should be all about you; you have the rest of the day to take on the world.

How do you like to start your day? Tell us in the comments below or on our
social media!

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Women Don’t Have to Own Inequality

There has been significant media coverage of women in the workplace,
especially as Women’s History Month comes to a close. We are so often
hearing stories about our sisters not being treated equally, or not being
recognized for their outstanding work. It can be draining to be inundated
with everything that is wrong with society and feeling at a loss for how to
correct things that are bigger than just us. However, we have to take a
stand against constant negative images we are shown about how women
fare in their careers.

It’s easy to be influenced by the bad press the workplace gets surrounding
women. Women don’t make as much money as men, especially if they are
women of color; they are overlooked; they are objectified in the office; etc.
Don’t get me wrong, all of these things tend to be true, and it is important
that we change them. However, we must also take care not to internalize
these messages. If we as women, go into a work situation and expect to be
marginalized, overlooked, and underpaid, we are creating and manifesting a
self-fulfilling prophecy. If you act as though the cards are stacked against
you, they almost certainly will be. The goal is not to erase the experiences of
women in the workplace, but to rise above them and not get stuck in one
place.

Instead, you must act as though you will always be treated as well as men.
You will not be overlooked because you will make yourself visible. You will be
considered competent, because you are. Your mindset affects how you
present yourself, and often, if you are feeling at a disadvantage, the persona
you present will match that, even if it isn’t true to who you are. If you apply
the mentality of “women struggle to be successful in the workplace” to
yourself, then you are writing your own outcome. Words and thoughts are
powerful. You can acknowledge the problems and the struggle without
dwelling on them.

So today, when a coworker presents your idea as their own, take credit for
your work. If you feel underappreciated and overlooked, find a way to let
your superiors know how important your contributions are (yes, you must
self-promote). Ask for the raise you’ve been wanting. Improvements for
women in the workplace start with each of us owning our greatness,
wherever we are. Don’t forget where we’ve all been, but move forward
unencumbered into the full potential that you have inside of you.

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Time Management for Women Trying to Have It All

In today’s busy world, between work and family commitments, plus any other hobbies or passions, you might feel like you need to be Superwoman to get it all done! There are ways to make the most of the hours you have in a day so that you can get maximum impact with some semblance of a work-life balance.

Get Control of Your Inbox!

Trying to keep up with your email can be a huge time commitment. Answering questions and attending to the needs of others is of course, part of most jobs, but it does detract from the other tasks you need to complete. You can get this time spent answering emails back in two ways. The first is setting designated times throughout the day that you check your email—and then let coworkers and clients know. This way, they know when to expect a response from you and you do not have to feel “on-call” while you are trying to be productive. If anyone has an urgent matter that requires immediate attention, they can call or come talk you in person if they are able. Secondly, remove all email notifications from your phone or computer. This will prevent you from being tempted to check your inbox as emails come in and will keep you from being distracted. Both of these methods will help you stop feeling tethered to your email and free to get your work done. An added bonus is that you will not feel you have to check your email at home when you are off the clock, so you can dedicate your evenings and weekends to your family, friends, and hobbies.

Think Ahead: Choose Where Your Energy Goes

Many tasks and opportunities vie for our attention every day; however, the ones that are urgent and need to be handled immediately tend to absorb most of our energy. However, this means we don’t have time to attend to the important (but not urgent) agenda items, which later become “fires” that we have to put out. It is important that we work proactively, as well as reactively, to prevent any crises from flaring up down the road. Your goals shouldn’t just reflect an outcome, but also practical steps to achieve that result, which will put you ahead of the game.

In order to free up more time, you need to choose what gets your attention and energy. Putting away your cell phone and avoiding social media will absolutely give you more time in your day and help you be more present in your work because you will not be constantly checking notifications, returning texts, or tweeting a random thought. Studies show that it can take up to ten minutes to get refocused after an interruption; by eliminating some of these distractions you will be able to focus and put your best foot forward. Choosing to direct your energy towards your work, rather than the outside world will ensure that you accomplish tasks that get you ahead in your career, rather than surrendering to the modern technologies that eat up your precious time. Similarly, being conscious about distractions and focusing your energy will help you to be more present when you spend quality time with loved ones.

Evaluate Your Energy Levels Throughout the Day

In order to make the most of your day, you need to understand the times and situations you work best in. When do you have the most energy and focus? When do you begin to feel tired and sluggish? This is different for everyone. Take the time to notice how you feel during your day. Do you like to jump right into your day and start to get tired after lunch? Or do you need a few hours in the morning to wake up before you hit your stride? Once you learn your body’s internal clock, you can plan the best ways to use those peaks and valleys of energy. Strategizing and complex projects should be reserved for when you are feeling your best, whereas the simple, mindless tasks can be done when you are feeling low-energy.

Of course, in many jobs you do not always have the luxury of planning out your day in the way that you would like. At those times, a nutritious snack or some coffee can help you summon some energy and motivation.

Women often try to do it all, to varying degrees of success. However, by reclaiming your time, removing distractions, and listening to your body, you can unlock extra pockets of time that have previously been used inefficiently. You’ll be surprised by the balance and productivity you will achieve simply by managing the demands on you in new ways.

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Rebranding Your Mindset for Women: How to Get the Results You Want in Your Life and Career

The corporate ladder isn’t necessarily a straight, upward climb, especially if you’re female. Many women are sometimes pushed to move down a rung to make room for others, or feel like they are at a complete standstill in their careers. Consider these questions:

Do you feel stuck in your career and your life?

Have you been passed over for a new job or promote despite being qualified?

Was your last raise not what you deserve?

It is extremely common for the answer to be “yes” for all three of these questions. Women consistently struggle to be recognized and valued in companies, regardless of the quality of their work. Know that you are not alone in this. However, there is room for everyone to succeed—you do not need to make room for others; the world is abundant with opportunities. You may have done everything right in the past, but now is the time to change your strategy and operate differently to get the results you want. These tips will help you rebrand yourself and rewire your mindset to help make you unstoppable!

Identify and Break Out of Self Limitations

Its time to do a mental check-in with yourself to identify your potential blind spots. What assumptions are you making about yourself? What stories are you telling yourself? How are you limiting yourself based on your assumptions and insecurities? Once you recognize how you hold yourself back, you can work to empower yourself. You absolutely must perceive yourself differently in order to move forward. Your mindset affects how you show up each day and it matters.

Recognize and Use Your Feminine Powers

It’s true—women are magical in every facet of their lives. And yes, I mean you. You just have to learn to tap into those special feminine powers rather than be afraid of them. Chiefly among these are your emotions. Women often want to avoid being called emotional, so they block out their feelings. Firstly, this isn’t good for your mental health. Secondly, emotions are an important signal that your values and expectations are not being met—listen to them. Your internal compass is trying to get in touch with you and you can use that to your advantage. Learning mastery of emotions is critical. Notice that I didn’t say control your emotions. We all want to have control over everything, but we are only human. But by mastering our emotions, we can channel them to reach our goals and have a unique edge.

Define Success On Your Own Terms

We all fall into this trap; thinking we aren’t successful if we don’t do x, y, and z, because everyone else does that. But we all come from and exist within different circumstances. We have different strengths and weakness, and our own hopes and dreams. We work so hard to live according to others’ expectations, but so often it makes none of us happy. We need to throw the conventional blueprint out the window and do things our own way. Rather than accepting the roles society gives us, we need to figure out what is fulfilling to us and what that looks like. That way you avoid guilt and disempowering emotions that exhaust you and you can truly focus on your own path and making it work for you. No more wasting time and energy on things that don’t matter to us.

These tips require a bit of soul searching; be honest with yourself in the process. You can only change what you acknowledge, and by getting rid of the thoughts and circumstances you don’t want, you have the mental energy to embrace the good in your life and create more abundance in your career. You will show up for life more confidently, more assertively, and more authentically, and that will benefit you in the long run.

 

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Genderless Leadership Breaks the Mold on Stereotypes and Opens the Door to Authenticity

Today’s academic research and journalistic think pieces widely the debate the most important characteristics for a great leader to have, and though there are generally favorable traits, top management professionals often have a unique blend of qualities that define them. More questionably, many of these articles ask whether men or women make better leaders, as though gender is legitimate criteria from which to measure leadership potential and capability.

We can all rationally admit that generalizing all men or all women in business is absurd, and that gender-based expectations in the workplace are limiting. While academic research has found evidence that certain qualities are usually more feminine or masculine, they certainly are not mutually exclusive. We tend to be more forward-thinking in the abstract, but in a practical setting when we picture a leader, we think of a man. This is a social and cultural construct that is difficult to eradicate.

In order to broaden our sense of a good leader to include all genders, we have to think of leadership as genderless. Academia often defines traits such as “competent” and “assertive” as masculine and “kindness” and “warmth,” as stereotypically feminine, and while there may be evidence that backs these generalities, of course such qualities are not “owned” by one gender or the other. In fact, there are many combinations of qualities across the spectrum that can provide companies with solid leadership. Can’t “assertiveness” and “warmth” live within the same human and work together on the corporate playing field? Of course they can. Does “competence” cancel out “kindness?” Surely not.

By labeling traits as being stereotypical to one gender or the other, we are confirming our limiting mindset that men are better leaders, so the typically masculine qualities must be better than feminine qualities. This is harmful, as labeled attributes do not live on separate dimensions. Men and women can have traits stereotypically assigned to both genders; and anyone is capable of leadership through their own unique makeup of characteristics.

Rather than concerning ourselves with the assumed gender of leadership qualities, we should be identifying the specific skills, attributes, and behaviors that are compatible within a given team or company, regardless of the gender of the powers that be, as organizations all have different needs, and those needs can all be met in a variety of ways. By recognizing the critical factors that help an organization operate true to its values and mission, the door is open for a President or CEO to lead as themselves and adapt to dynamic situations. By lifting the pressure to fit a certain gendered leadership mold, they are more agile, effective, and representative of the entire organization. Genderless leadership offers all of us the opportunity to grow and expand our experiences and thrive in our careers, on our own terms.

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