When it comes to women, every woman would have defined their space and has her own definition of success. From not being afraid to take risks to being thoroughly passionate about what they do, women have scaled up in their career over the past decade fighting all odds. There are a few who have juggled work, life, friends, family, societal pressure and what not. They seem to be always in control and have it all in place with respect to their career. Here are six successful women from around the globe who have golden pieces of advice for you.
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Turn a deaf ear to criticism
People have time to glorify why things might not go right and that is a good enough reason to ignore irrelevant comments and continue doing what you truly believe in.
Kiran Mazumdar Shaw , India’s only self- made billionaire and Chairman and MD of Biocon Limited says , “Women, forget about all the criticism, it is going to be there. Believe in what you are doing and you will succeed. And that is what strong women do”
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Do not let gender set boundaries
“As a woman in a male-dominated industry, I often get asked about how I deal with that issue. I respond that the barriers for women in business are much less today than even 10 years ago. And even if being a woman in your business sector may be an issue to some potential customers, don’t let it be one to you. In business, you set the tone by being a competent professional, so you establish yourself as someone qualified to get the job done and let that speak for itself. I truly believe women are natural leaders and entrepreneurs. So grow your business based on your skill sets and your brain! As women, we have a lot of both!” says Gail Warrior, CEO and Founder of the Warrior Group Construction.
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Learn to say a ‘NO’ when required
Just because it seems like you can do something, doesn’t mean you should go ahead and do it. There is never an obligation to say ‘Yes’.
“It’s one of the most difficult phrases for women to utter. Practice. It will get easier” says the 12th Executive Director of the World Food Programme, Ertharin Cousin.
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Always be curious
Things change at the speed of light and one needs to keep asking questions. The thirst to learn and adapt to the changing environment makes one stand out.
Anne Sweeney, the co-chair of Disney Media Networks and President of Disney- ABC Television Group, says, “The smartest thing you can ever do is to constantly ask questions.”
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Raise your hands for big opportunities
When it comes to women, they often shy away from big opportunities, a hike in the salary etc. Asking for what you deserve is the right thing to do.
Alexandra Lebenthal, President and CEO of Lebenthal & Company says, “ Asking for what you want in a gracious, thoughtful way often results in getting what you want, so put your fears aside and ask for what you want. You might just get it!”
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When at work, focus on work, when at home focus on family
We often tend to divert our attention towards something else fearing that something is missed. While at work it’s best to concentrate on the task at hand and not about what might be going wrong due to one’s absence. Never mix family time with work or vice versa.
Indra Nooyi, Pepsi CEO says, “Focus whole-heartedly on what is at hand. When at work, I focus 100 percent on being a CEO, when at home; I focus 100 percent on my family.
Well that’s some food for thought for today. Now go reach for the stars!
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