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Articles by Mary Foley
Funny little things that occur to and consequently inspire us!
5 Steps To Take Charge Of Your Professional Growth
Sometimes change in our professional lives comes at us expectedly and unwanted, sometimes we initiate it. Either way, how we respond to changes to our professional lives is what really counts. I like to think of it as "Change is inevitable, growth is optional. Choose to grow".
“We Can Do It!” is the banner across one of the most well-known posters during World War II encouraging women to join the workforce for the war effort. You probably remember it - the image of a woman with a red bandana on her head, rolling up her blue shirt sleeve as she makes a fist. It always communicates to me a woman’s strength and determination.
We All Gotta Little Bodaciousness
Do you want feel more bodacious and wonder how? It’s easier than you may have thought! My personal experience has convinced me that in the journey of becoming a Bodacious Woman, the place to start is on the inside.
Think Strategically, Act Bodaciously
Thinking strategically is intentionally thinking about the big picture of your career and life. You have to determine where you want to go before you can get there. Otherwise, it’s all just happen stance.
Let’s be real. Every workplace is political, and the higher up the organizational chart you go, the more political the workplace gets. That’s because there’s more at stake. The higher up you go, the more things get accomplished by virtue of relationships and positioning. Bodacious Women know that the higher up you go in an organization, the more office politics you get. They also know that the question isn’t whether to play, but how.
If your self-worth is tightly entwined with the company you work for, a single downturn in the market could send you spinning down the drain. You would be tempted to preserve your job there no matter what and possibly loose opportunities in other companies or the direction of your career.
Shifting and changing may cause you to go through some major culture shocks and climate changes. As with every alteration in your life you create or any alteration that comes you way (let’s face it, some events are out of your hands), you may feel alien to your new circumstances. Don’t worry, you’ll grow into them.
It’s up to you to decide at what point you’re going to put your foot down. No one can tell you exactly how or when. But you’ll know where that point is, even if it means facing the possible consequence of putting your relationship with your employer at risk.
Know How You Want To Be Treated
Are you clear about how you want people to treat you? Have you experienced your boundaries being crossed or violated? One lesson women typically have a difficult time with is establishing boundaries.
Marketing your value may feel a little awkward at first, but with a little practice to make it feel authentic, the initial discomfort will melt away. Your reward is others viewing you with greater esteem, which sets you up for even greater success. Because, after all, success isn’t over rated, it feels fabulous!
Take The Work Out Of Networking
Networking. I find that women either love it or hate it. When they love it, they truly enjoy meeting others and are great at it. When they hate it, they’d rather go get a mammogram. At least in that situation, no one expects you to do more than stand there. Knowing how to network well can make or break your career.