There is a significant lack of women, particularly women of color, in management positions. For every 100 men promoted to manager, only 81 women achieve the same, and this disparity is even greater for Black women, with only 54 promoted for every 100 men, according to the Women in the Workplace report by LeanIn.org and McKinsey & Company.

Women face the “broken rung” phenomenon, where men at entry-level are promoted to managerial roles at much higher rates than women.

This early career setback puts women at a lasting disadvantage. Rachel Thomas, co-founder and CEO of LeanIn.org, emphasizes that this “broken rung” restricts women’s career progress. Despite some progress at higher levels, these advancements often come with caveats.

The Sandberg Goldberg Bernthal Family Foundation (SGB) is a nonprofit dedicated to promoting equality and resilience through 4 initiatives: LeanIn.org, Lean In Girls, OptionB.org, and the Dave Goldberg Scholarship Program. Launched in 2013, LeanIn.org supports Lean In Circles, small groups of women who meet regularly to empower each other personally and professionally. These Circles help women build confidence, develop leadership skills, and achieve their goals. Over 100,000 women in 183 countries have started Circles, with 85% of members reporting positive changes within 6 months of joining.

To enhance the leadership skills of regional Lean In Network Leaders, SGB partnered with the Center for Creative Leadership (CCL). “We chose CCL for their exceptional reputation and expertise in leadership development,” said Nikki Pawsey, Director of the Global Network Leader Program. “Their global reach and commitment to co-creating a tailored leadership course for women aligned perfectly with our vision of empowering more women leaders in the workplace.”

Solution

CCL and SGB collaborated to create the Network Leadership Development Program (NLDP). This program is designed for mid-career women leaders, focusing on immediate and practical application to build confidence and navigate strategic leadership challenges. According to Pawsey, “Our primary goal was to offer our global network of volunteers the opportunity to develop their leadership skills in a way that would empower them both personally and professionally. We wanted to raise their level of self-awareness and provide tools for them to strengthen their ability to lead, inspire, and make a difference in their communities worldwide.”

The NLDP is a 3-month, multi-modal learning experience that includes:

• Asynchronous preparatory learning in a custom online course
• Offline peer discussions managed by participants
• Live online sessions every other week to engage on topics
• Pre-work including the WorkPlace Big Five Profile, a senior leader interview, and defining a Key Leadership Challenge

Featured Solutions

Foundations & Philanthropic Leadership

Learn more about how we're partnering with foundations for philanthropic leadership to drive change by offering professional development to build leadership capacity.

Women’s Leadership Development

We've helped pioneer women's leadership development for nearly 50 years. Explore our research-based leadership training programs for women.

The program elements designed to boost engagement and learning include:

• Amplifying the collective power of broad, diverse networks
• Strengthening and leveraging authenticity and credibility to gain trust
• Developing leadership skills and preparing for career acceleration
• Leveraging peer support to work through critical leadership challenges
• Driving conversations and practices promoting belonging
• Building a network of ambassadors to retain and advance women in organizations

CCL has completed 10 successful cohorts globally with more than 250 participants from diverse backgrounds and locations finding common ground in their volunteer leadership role with Lean In.

Results

Following the NLDP, participants have committed to applying their new insights and skills. They plan to:

• Share knowledge with their teams
• Foster resilient work cultures
• Engage in networking and mentoring
• Support other women in their professional journeys

By the Numbers

The program has inspired participants to enhance their leadership skills, promote inclusivity, and focus on personal and professional growth. They are also eager to expand their professional networks and become more active in the Lean In community.

Participants have reported:

• Increased assertiveness
• Improved decision-making
• Enhanced leadership presence
• Greater focus on creating inclusive and diverse environments
• Efforts toward equality

Many participants plan to use their new skills to advance their careers, start businesses, or take on new roles. Pawsey emphasized, “The impact of this partnership has been profound. Through CCL’s programs, our volunteers have not only grown as leaders but also built stronger connections within the network, fostering a sense of shared purpose and collaboration. We’ve seen enhanced confidence, creativity, and problem-solving skills amongst our community. Many of our leaders would not have the opportunity in their country to access such high-quality training.”

Participants Say

The post Sandberg Goldberg Bernthal Foundation Advances Women’s Leadership Globally appeared first on CCL.

Women in the workplace have a narrative issue. Could the way many women frame their successes be holding them back?

We recently analyzed leadership development interviews from a leading high-profile global consumer goods company. During this analysis, we discovered that nearly 1/2 of all women interviewed attributed their success to “luck,” compared to only 1/3 of men.

In our analysis, women reportedly felt “lucky” that they were surrounded by a good team, had attention from their supervisors, and had access to opportunities, for example.

In fact, it was almost as likely for a woman to chalk up her success to luck as it was for her to say that she worked hard for it.

Women leaders are more than just lucky, so they need to reframe the way they think, vocalize their contributions and work success, and stop subconsciously sabotaging their hard work.

Where does this power dynamic come from, and how can women change it?

Why Women Say They Are So “Lucky”

Maybe it isn’t surprising that many women credit their success to luck. Leadership research shows that there are multiple, measurable double standards impeding women’s success, while similarly advancing men. It’s a double-bind of being seen as competent or likable — but not both.

Are women actually lucky, or are they mistaking equal treatment or equal pay for mere serendipity?

Are women using these passive descriptors to avoid being seen as arrogant or — society’s favorite word — “bossy?”

Are Women the Unlucky Gender?

When most people envision a strong leader, they picture stereotypically male traits: assertiveness, independence, competitiveness. These traits can make for a very fine leader, but when applied to a woman, they become negative descriptors.

As our research found, men become bosses, but women become “bossy.” Women are twice as likely as men to be branded as bossy in the workplace, a trend that underlies the gender stereotypes still inherent in the workforce.

Women are in a catch-22: they must be strong and independent, without being seen as bossy.

The Right Kind of Help: Women Need Sponsors

In our leadership research data, many women considered themselves lucky to have been noticed by supervisors or to work with a specific team. Women with true sponsors really are lucky.

However, women often gain passive mentors rather than sponsors who actively promote them and help them climb the corporate ladder. While women are mentored more often than men, these mentorships produce fewer promotions and are less likely to be provided by a senior executive.

Women are also less likely to have a sponsor. Unlike mentors, sponsors introduce you to the “right” people and use their influence to shield you from company politics. Learn more about why women need a network of champions.

How Women Can Reframe Success as More Than “Just Luck”

3 Tips for Women to Reframe Their Narrative

With all of these seemingly ineffable obstacles facing women, is it any wonder that so few senior leaders are women and that these women tend to give luck more than its fair share of the credit for their success?

Yet there is hope. Women can become owners of their leadership narrative by following these 3 tips:

1. Gain agency.

The first thing women need to do is set goals and make conscious decisions about their career path. Does a “lucky” opportunity help pave the way to a certain goal? If so, then take it, and don’t be afraid to create other opportunities on the same path. Women should use the term “leader” to define themselves in both their own eyes and in the eyes of those around them. As women lead more intentionally at work and at home, they feel greater agency over their careers.

2. Create a useful network.

Women must also take control of their professional network. They must seek out sponsors within an organization who can help provide meaningful insight and guidance. A professional network is not a list of friends, but a symbiotic web of resources that is mutually beneficial to both parties. For example, if a woman wants to be the head of cybersecurity, she should be involved in cybersecurity events and professional groups within her community and industry. This way, she will hear of new opportunities within her chosen career path. Women need a network that works for them.

3. Understand how gender norms contribute to success.

Women need to acknowledge that gender norms and stereotypes exist, and identify how they play into success (or failure). For example, the Ban Bossy campaign seeks to remove the gendered term from playgrounds and workplaces, where females are more likely than males to call women and girls bossy.

Knowing that women are under-sponsored by senior leaders and under-represented in high-level positions and on boards, women must fight the urge to be at odds with one another and instead be allies.

Knowing that women are over-mentored yet under-sponsored, women should support each other and realize that helping a woman advance contributes to advancing women across the workforce.

And it will take more than luck to get there.

Ready to Take the Next Step?

Equip your talented women leaders with more than luck by providing access to women’s leadership development. 

The post Women Leaders and Luck appeared first on CCL.

• PODCAST

Lead With That: Condoleezza Rice and the Importance of Values in Leadership

In this episode of Lead With That, Ren and Allison discuss trailblazer and former US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. Widely known for her steadfast political acumen and role in shaping US international relations, Rice is also hailed as a distinguished author, professor, and decision-maker for several organizations and corporations. One thing that stands out about Rice’s leadership is her emphasis on the role of values in leadership, which she believes lead to stronger leaders and cohesive teams. Listen in as Ren and Allison explore what we can learn from Rice’s philosophies on leadership.

This is the 6th episode in our special Lead With That series, “Manager Madness,” where we discuss public figures, real or fictional, who embody leadership through both their actions and ability to inspire others. Our listeners voted in a “Manager Madness” bracket on social media stories to rank which leaders they would want to work with the most. Over several months, Ren and Allison will be chatting about each of them one by one until we reveal the winner.

Listen to the Podcast

In this episode, Ren and Allison discuss former US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and the lessons we can take from her philosophies on leadership. Known by many for her strong political ingenuity and intelligence, Rice highlights values as one of the most important aspects of great leadership. Allison and Ren explore what it would be like to work with Rice, and Lead With That.

Learn More

Interview Transcript

Intro:

Welcome back to CCL’s podcast, Lead With That, where we talk current events and pop culture to look at where leadership is happening and what’s happening with leadership.

Ren:

It’s Manager Madness still. Can you even believe it? Yes, Allison. One by one, we’re still discussing public figures, real or fictional, randomly pitted against one another to see who comes out on top.

We’ve got a real figure today. Condoleezza Rice, a woman whose name is, for some, synonymous with resilience, intelligence, and groundbreaking leadership. Before Condi was making waves on the global stage, she was a standout academic and an accomplished musician, no less. Growing up in the segregated South, she broke barriers with every step, from becoming a piano prodigy to earning a PhD in political science. At Stanford, she didn’t just wear the professor hat, she took on the role of provost, where she transformed the university’s budget from red to black, showing early on her knack for leadership and problem solving that she used in the government.

Fast-forward to her tenure as the US Secretary of State, where Rice was a trailblazer as the first African-American woman to hold the position. Whether it was navigating complexities of post 9/11 foreign policy or standing firm in the face of global crises, Rice’s tenure was marked by her unflinching resolve and sharp diplomatic acumen. She played a critical role in shaping US international relations with a style that combines strength with a touch of Southern charm, some say.

Since leaving office though, Condoleezza Rice hasn’t slowed down one bit. She’s back at Stanford, this time sharing her wealth of knowledge as a professor and Co-Director of the Hoover Institution. She’s also an author, a board member for several major corporations, and a sought-after speaker. Rice continues to inspire with her words and actions, proving that true leadership is not just about the titles you hold but, maybe even more, the legacy you leave behind.

Welcome back everyone. I’m Ren Washington, and as usual, I’m joined with Allison Barr. Allison, what’s Condoleezza Rice’s legacy to you?

Allison:

Oh, I didn’t expect that question. You’ve mentioned a lot of what she’s done as a professional and as a person. When I think of her, I think of overcoming hurdles. More specifically, seeing those hurdles as an opportunity to potentially change something that’s not working. Although her history and her path is remarkable in so many ways that you’ve just mentioned, her legacy to me is also her well-roundedness and her various skillsets. I think if I had to pick one out of everything I just said, it might be her ability to influence. What about you? What would you say?

Ren:

Well, this might come as no surprise to you, but really Condoleezza Rice’s legacy, for me, is, like, neo-imperialism. I too, Condi, was a political science major, and I wrote about you and your administration as my capstone project.

Allison:

Nobody is going to be surprised that you were a political science … Nobody ever will be surprised that you’re that. That does not surprise me at all. Apologies, keep going.

Ren:

No, not at all. Whether for good or for ill … The more I explored Condoleezza, the more I started to recognize that there’s nuance, as there is in every human. For me, she was the Secretary of State of the Bush Administration post 9/11, and I talked about Donald Rumsfeld and Dick Cheney and Bush living out the legacy of New American imperialism.

For me, as a child who watched … I was in ninth grade, I was a freshman in high school when I saw the towers fall. I remember sitting in the Student Union watching Bush win another election. She’s wrapped up in kind of my feelings about that part of our history. So I’d say her legacy for me is the Secretary of State for a neo-imperialist presidency. But what a limiting perspective on her, I think, because she’s so much more than that.

Allison:

Agree. I think it’s interesting, too, to have college memories where you’re learning about her, and now being, of course, not in school anymore and having that perspective change a little bit, I would assume. I think there’s so many things that stand out to me. So let me clarify that it’s very hard for me to choose one thing to focus on for this podcast, because of her depth and knowledge and her experience and her skills and everything that you’ve already mentioned.

When I thought about trends, and when I was reading about her last week, her ability to influence and gain alignment from folks all over the globe is standout. And let me just clarify. My caveat here is that I am not necessarily supporting or not supporting any political decisions, just making sure that that is known. Rather, highlighting that she’s worked to gain alignment globally from organizations like the United Nations Security Council, North Korea, European foreign ministers, et cetera.

Now, I can’t speak directly to how she did that. We weren’t behind closed doors, though I wish I was. However, I have some suspicions, and I think her education in international relations, along with her experience, certainly helps.

When we do these leader profiles and think about Manager Madness, I always like to think about some of the things that our leaders could translate directly to the workplace. I would imagine most people who are listening are not trying to influence North Korea at the moment, rather, maybe their boss or a team at the workplace.

I think there’s an easy translation to make, but I’ll pause. What are your thoughts, reactions?

Ren:

Well, I’ll chase that rabbit, and I couldn’t agree more around some of her accessible ideas, whether it’s piano, whether it’s PhD, whether it’s provost. None of her stuff happened by accident. If you’re listening and you’re working hard, the idea is just keep sharpening those saws, because greatness is not accidental.

And … maybe you don’t want greatness. I think Condi or someone did, and I’m interested to talk about life philosophy with her. Surprise, surprise. I think there’s a lot about her characteristics that you could point to and say, “Well, there’s drive.” I don’t know if you’d ever make it to the Secretary of State without drive.

Well, if you had to work for her, if Condoleezza Rice was your boss, you can pick whatever timeframe in history, now at Stanford or during the presidency, whether she was Secretary of State or provost or professor. What would you be excited about if you had to work for her, and what would you be worried about?

Allison:

I would like to say that I would love to be a student of hers. That’s not what you asked me. But she did teach at some point. She might still be. I’m actually not sure if she is still. I would love to be a student of hers. Let me answer your question, though. If I had to work for her, I do want to clarify that I would not choose to work in politics. For the sake of this conversation, we’re going to pretend that this is not a political career. Perhaps I work for her at the —

Ren:

At Stanford.

Allison:

At Stanford, at the collegiate setting. I would be thrilled to work for her because of everything that we’ve already mentioned. She entered the University of Denver at age 15 — 15 years old. That’s just one thing we haven’t mentioned yet. I cannot help but think that, just given her knowledge and her experience, I think I would learn something from her in every single conversation. So I would be thrilled to work for her.

What would concern me? I’m not really sure, Ren. I am actually not really sure. There will be something. Maybe as we go, I might come up with something, but I’m not sure in this moment. What about you?

Ren:

The level of neuroticism that comes with a 15-year-old freshman, and then that perpetuates through that person’s life, that would worry me. Like I said, nothing happens by accident. We always talk shadow side and power, and a strength overplayed can turn into a shadow. I just have to imagine at least some point in her life where that drive was hard to be around. I imagine she can probably access it now.

I think what I’d be most excited about is, and some of the things that … I have a few quotes from her as we go on, is her life of experience. I find these people in these high reaches of power or wisdom, they get out of them and they have a lot of perspective. I think their point of view softens. Now, granted, they worked harder than anyone to get to the top of the mountain. Now that they’re there, they look down, they go, “Huh. Was it all worth it?”

I bet it’d be really fun to hear her reflect on her whole arc and think about the perspective she could share with the students that she works with or people like that. I think that’d be pretty cool. Yeah, I’d be worried that Type-A personalities, they are not always easy to be around.

Allison:

Why?

Ren:

Well, I’ll give you an example. Condoleezza Rice said once before, “The most important trait of a good leader is to be operating out of some core values. If you’re not operating from some sense of what is truly right and wrong and what is a matter of principle, then you’ll be constantly buffeted by the events and winds you find yourself in.” Now, Allison, I wonder whose right and wrong. Type As, they’re like, “Nope, this is the right way and this is the wrong way.” And there is little breadth for them.

When I think about Condoleezza Rice, when I think about her legacy, and my legacy of neo-imperialism that I put on her, I think right or wrong came at the expense of a lot of things.

Allison:

Yes. I am going to stay on the philosophical track, too.

Ren:

Let’s do it.

Allison:

There are 2 questions I have. I think the first one is, let’s stick with her political career. Do you think … This just is a genuine question, I’m not trying to target this question. This is genuine. Do you think that there’s a difference, or more of an importance, as a political leader to lead from values than there would be at an organizational level that’s non-political?

Ren:

It depends on the organization. There are non-governmental actors right now, organizations that dictate the flow of the world.

You think of Rupert Murdoch, he controls news outlets all over the world. His narrative is persistent. I think it would depend on the org. From a governmental standpoint, she also said, “Great powers don’t mind their own business. They shape the future.” That’s something that she said in 2024, this year, at the Drell Lecture, just an annual event about international security. At a security event, I guess you would have to be definitive on what great powers do.

But that point of view means that “Great powers don’t mind their own business. They shape the future.” The future in whose image? It’s not, like, America’s image. No, it’s in the image of the few people making the decisions. Again, it goes back to, like, their right or wrong. I need leaders to lead with values. If you’re listening, you have to lead with values. You’ve also got to lead with the real awareness that some people’s values aren’t your values; therefore, your values aren’t any more right than theirs.

Allison:

How do you know if somebody is leading from values or not?

Ren:

Presumably if someone’s saying, “This is right and this is wrong.” I think definitively for Condoleezza Rice, I think her values are on her sleeve, but I guess most realistically, you ask people or you do an exercise. You share the things that you care about and then you try to listen for the things they care about.

Allison:

Can I be so bold as to ask what are some of your values?

Ren:

Yeah, my —

Allison:

Maybe like 1 or 2?

Ren:

Yeah, absolutely. Love it. We do values exercises all the time at home for us. It’s fun. We just did it with the kids recently, and it’s really informed the way that they engage with one another. For me, my top 2 values are autonomy and help others.

Allison:

What was the first one, did you say?

Ren:

Autonomy.

Allison:

I thought you said the economy. Okay.

Ren:

I really value materialism, Allison.

Allison:

You said, okay, so autonomy and service to others?

Ren:

Yeah, to help others.

Allison:

Okay, got it. Got it. Well, I can see a direct tie in those 2 things for how you show up at work. I’m just curious, too … this is top of mind for me because I didn’t know we were going to go down this route in this recording today, and I was reading a Forbes article on Friday about how to find great candidates. And one of the things that was said, and I’m paraphrasing, was to find candidates who have values that are similar to your organization’s values. I challenge that a little bit, and I’m curious what your thoughts are.

Ren:

Well, tell me more maybe and then I’ll share. Where’s the point of challenge?

Allison:

There are a couple places. In an interview … You can be very skilled at interviewing. That is a skill. And if Candidate A knows that the company is looking for values-led people who are in congruence with the company’s values, all that candidate needs to do is Google the values and just say, “Yes, I have these values. Here are some examples.” That’s pretty easy. The second part is, values are not easy to measure either. If you and I both have a value of, let’s say, belonging — I’m making this up, maybe we do, I don’t know — you and I could express that very differently.

To me it just becomes this game of … it’s non-tangible. It’s nice. It’s a nice thing to say, and part of me thinks that it’s almost impossible to measure, and how an organization expresses its values behaviorally generally will start from the top and then, again generally speaking, people will mimic those behaviors to keep their jobs.

Ren:

Yeah, there’s a couple of layers. I think we’ve said it before, what if real organizations were honest, and the first mission statement was “Make money,” the values statement. I think you’re right. I look at an organization often and their values are painted on the wall. And then I look at their senior leaders, I’m like, where do I see those? Then I too, I guess I hear your issue of someone pretending that a company’s values are theirs, or how can you determine it?

A word that kept coming up for me is this idea of congruency, like a value-based question. If I ask you, as a candidate, what you value, whether or not you say you value what we value, I am interested to see if you can live up to the things that you say you value.

We work with, equine facilitators is what I call them, our teaching horse team. I’m not talking about the people, I’m talking about the horses. Something about horses is, horses don’t care if you’re scared. They don’t care if you’re nervous. They don’t care if you’re anxious. They just care if you’re pretending not to be. A horse is disinterested in you being not yourself.

I think that’s probably what’s coming up for me is … I would love for your values to truly align with the organization’s values, especially if our value is to help people. But you only want to help yourself. That’s awfully binary, but that would matter. I think the bigger thing for me, maybe, is I ask you what you value, and then I see if you show up that way.

You said autonomy and helping others, and you’re like, “Yeah, that weighs out, the way you show up at work.” If I said that, but I’m like, I’m always needing to be in decision-making processes or be involved, and I’m never interested in helping others, you would say, “Well, that’s incongruent.” I think that’s probably where I land.

Allison:

Yes. We don’t have to belabor it, but I wouldn’t even know if I would care. I also don’t manage you, so that might be different too. I don’t know if I care. I don’t know. It’s not that I don’t care about your values, that’s not what I mean. I don’t care if you’re incongruent, because you’re human and your values are going to change probably a lot over time. Maybe they won’t. Depends on the human.

Anyway, I feel like I’ve led us down a path of splitting hairs. I don’t even know how much this matters, necessarily, but I think it’s just becomes a little tricky at the workplace to over-focus on values, I guess is my point. If you were incongruent with your values, okay. You know what I mean? I am not going to be like, “Ren, you said you valued autonomy and now you want to make this decision.” I don’t know that I care.

Ren:

Well, that’d be interesting. There are some incongruences that can harm team production.

Allison:

How’s that?

Ren:

You say you’re going to do something, but you behave differently. I might want to seek out in a true SBI format like, “This was the situation, this behavior, it impacted me negatively. Can you help me understand what’s happening?”

I think I hear from you saying, it’s like, I don’t really care if you say you value one thing and then your values shift. I think I’m talking about, and I think this is germane to our conversation around Condoleezza Rice, her legacy around anyone in a high-profile leadership position, is that scrutiny is going to be high on you and therefore the possibility of hypocrisy is larger than ever.

Allison:

Yes.

Ren:

I think there are certain things that go, but you said yes, like yes. So tell me, what are you thinking about?

Allison:

She’s spoken a lot about having respect for everyone’s contribution. And this comes full circle to what you said, in a way, because she has a quote that I’m going to paraphrase. She said that a solid leader needs to trust that the next person is doing their job, and have an honest dialogue with them or amongst colleagues. A direct quote of hers, if they aren’t doing that — rather, a direct quote is, “The first thing that can break a team apart more quickly than anything else is when people are constantly whispering about one another or taking down somebody behind their back and not having direct conversations amongst colleagues.”

Which plays into what you were just saying as well. There’s something around integrity and being bold enough, brave enough to have direct conversations with people so that you can value everyone’s contribution and elevate the whole team.

Ren:

I think too, some of what you’re talking about highlights that the polarity of all of our humanity where she speaks … I think there’s a lot of truth to the idea of, whispering behind each other’s back is going to tear down a team. But I believe Condoleezza Rice believes in the idea of a shared vision, which goes back to my earlier idea of right or wrong. I think a lot of people who have such a definitive point of right or wrong, only let those people into the tent who believe with them, and therefore they are walking in lockstep because what’s to whisper about?

The challenge is having a cabinet of rivals, like Abraham Lincoln did, the last president ever to have a cabinet full of bipartisan members … maybe not the last president. But this idea that … could differing perspectives make us better? An so, as a teamer, and we were talking about values, or we talk about maybe aligning with values or incongruency, I think what might contribute to a team’s under-performance is people pretending they care about the same thing and then whispering about how they don’t.

That’s one of the instances that the congruency can actually matter or incongruency can matter.

Allison:

Definitely. Definitely. If you’re new to this, how might you begin to foster an environment where people can have differing opinions like that and bring them to the table? It’s a little gray, because I would argue that sometimes there’s a time and a place to bring your devil’s advocate — not you, Ren, I mean the general. If you’re playing devil’s advocate, that’s one thing. If your purpose is to support the conversation and bringing a different perspective, that’s another thing. How do we generate an environment where people can do that second thing?

Ren:

Reward the behavior. Incentivize it. And maybe you reduce the frame of the right or wrong. The less binary we can be, I think, the better. Then if someone offers a point of view … or maybe, like you said, you’re like, “Hey, if you’re playing devil’s advocate all the time, you’re not helping.” It’s like, I don’t know, maybe is that emblematic of our apprehension to incentivize dissension? I think ultimately it depends on the team, and the people, and what you agree on. But it’d be an interesting test as you’re listening, or as I’m talking to you, Allison, damn, I’m like, what would it look like for me to incentivize dissension on my team? How would you reward that behavior?

Allison:

Yeah, and how would you? Especially if you’re not a formal leader, how might you do that? A formal, in terms of position. Of course anybody can be a leader, but if you don’t have positional leadership, is there a way to do that?

Ren:

I was thinking just now, I guess you thank the person, maybe you integrate their thinking, maybe you … I guess, how do you reward someone now when they do something you like, when you’re not in the power of formal authority? What does reward look like for you and me?

Allison:

Well, I’ll share with you, and I won’t mention names because I don’t have permission, but somebody last week challenged me in a factual and objective way. I’m thinking about how she approached me, and I think that was … an important part of this is, it was not, “Hey, you are wrong.” It was, she’s in a different function than I am, Ren, and it was, “Hey, just so you know, the reason why X happened is because if it doesn’t happen, this is how it impacts my work.”

I was frustrated, admittedly. I was frustrated with a decision that was made, because it didn’t make sense to me and it didn’t feel efficient, and her challenge … it wasn’t even a challenge, it was just, “Hey, another perspective is that this is how it impacts my work. It makes us more efficient if we do it this way in the long run.” So I think because, I don’t know, we have a solid relationship too, it was probably easier for her to tell me that, but I very much appreciate it and I said, “Thank you so much because now that changes how I approach everybody else in your function. And now I know this and I didn’t know that.”

I think a thank you reinforces that it’s okay to have those types of conversations. It’s okay to disagree. It’s okay to share with somebody an alternate perspective.

Ren:

Yes. Maybe that’s the very way that you create the environment for it, is you build up the skills to have sort of objective conversations despite our subjective experiences. You extend appreciation, maybe you augment your behavior. It’s something I talk to … It’s like any child, often. I remember the kids would be like, “I’m sorry for this.” I’m like, the best sorry would be just to not to do that thing again. That would be the very best apology you could muster. Because then I start to say, are you sorry? Or what are you actually apologizing for?

Then you got to think, too, as you thank your dissenter, are you thanking them just so they shut up or are you thanking them because maybe it changes your perspective? I wonder, too, I love the “red team” concept in journalism. Have you seen or heard that?

Allison:

No. Enlighten me.

Ren:

Despite the best journalistic integrity, journalists get close to the story, and they start to craft their story objectively, as they do. Then the red team’s job is to come in without anything that’s sacred, and kill the darlings, really just do good opposition research and try to poke holes in every single idea or concept. That is an incentivizing, rewarded position. Being on the red team is a fun job, because you’re helping your colleague be better and improve, and your sole mission, you’ve got free rein to just red ink it all over the place, sort of why it’s called the red team.

I think those structures of, “Hey, we have a system called the red team here, so you’re going to bring a project and their job is to highlight the most benign or mundane or egregious errors, and you’re just going to deal with it because you’re going to be their red team one time, and it’s just part of our process.” Maybe you start to highlight “our process.”

Allison:

Yes. I love the idea of asking somebody, and maybe it won’t be in the same way that you just described, but “Hey, look at this. Tell me the ways that I’m not seeing that it could go wrong. Or, what would make you say yes to this? What would make you say no to this?” Those types of questions are really important and, in a lot of ways, brave to have and can do you a lot of good in the long run for so many different reasons. Have you ever done anything like that, Ren?

Ren:

No. I think one of my shortcomings is asking questions I don’t want to hear the answer to. I know my stuff isn’t perfect. That’s what makes it perfect. Probably not as much as I should, I think, but I welcome it in spaces where people feel like they can give it. I just don’t know if I create those environments enough.

I think something that, swinging back to Condoleezza when we think about process and structure, I think one of the things that made her interesting, regardless of her points of view, was that, you highlighted it, how she was able to get work done to connective points or the connective tissue.

She would say, “It’s easy to get overwhelmed if people you’re leading don’t have a sense of priorities. Then they start to spin out in several different directions and won’t accomplish anything.” And so I think a leader’s role, or at least Condoleezza’s role as Secretary of State or anything else, is to help people get a sense of priorities. And in our world where, we know, we talk to leaders all the time, everything’s a priority. I go, “Well, yeah, I know. So what do you do?” Then they shrug emoji and they leave. No, that’s not what happens.

We have real conversations about numbering our priorities or managing the polarity of your priority, then my priority, then your priority, then my priority. I think about Condoleezza Rice. She seemingly was able to manage that. Though I might say that maybe it was just because everyone was singing the exact same song.

Allison:

I don’t know. Gosh, to be a fly on the wall. I have a hard time believing that everybody was singing the same song. And now I’m questioning what I’m saying, too, based off of some of the things that you’ve already said, because from a political standpoint, we hear what gets filtered through the news and some other mediums of course, so I won’t know the whole story.

I think the translation I’m trying to make to our leaders that we communicate with, and that we coach, and that we have in the classroom is that Condoleezza Rice seemed to understand, to your point Ren, how things get done and embrace the reality of working within a political landscape. I don’t mean politics as in her job. I mean that there are politics in every working group, in every working organization, and they’re neutral. Organizational politics are neutral. So embracing that reality, so that she could move teams forward and move initiatives forward. I’m not claiming that CCL had anything to do with her success, but our research has found that the best leaders do have organizational influence, and she demonstrated that skill time and time again.

So I think to translate to that, the workplace, again alluding to the point that you’ve already made, all organizations have 2 sides, like a formal structure, formal processes, pictures on the org chart, and the informal, which more often represents how things really get done. And politically savvy leaders, again at an organizational level, understand both sides of that and really understand those unspoken norms that exist within an organization.

Ren:

I think the most savvy leaders build the norms. Think about who’s calling the shots. What are the rules, and who say they are? We say culture is how you feel on a Sunday morning. Well, how does your boss feel on a Sunday morning or Sunday at night, versus you? I bet it’s different. Why is it different? I wonder why.

I guess for me it comes … at the same Drell Lecture, the security conference, again, I think where you have to be definitive. I’m not even reading through the news here. Her direct quotes are like, “It requires a sense of national mission to make things better here at home first.” That was in the context of, I think in the same vein of, what do powerful nations need to do? What does leading from the front look like? Her commentary is, “I think we need a national mission to make things better here at home first.” I go, but whose mission? Whose rules? Whose formal and informal structure?

I think part of what we got to see with her drive and her role as Secretary of State was that there was a philosophical agreement, and it persists today, about the role of America in the world. She believed that and was in a position to help buff it and support and strengthen that philosophy.

It’s interesting when we talk, especially when marginalized groups get in these conversations, and we’re talking about navigating the rules and trying to play in those spaces, we realize that the conversation looks different depending on where you are. And if you disagree with that national mission, then what does that mean for your experience in the workplace?

Allison:

Yes, and I am so on board with everything that you’re saying, and it gets tricky because this is one perspective that I have, and I also have a conflicting perspective about what I’m about to say. It’s good reminder that 2 things can be true at the same time.

Ren:

Very human. Yes.

Allison:

There are times when I have conversations with clients who will say, “I didn’t have a voice in an X decision. I didn’t get a say in that.” And at the workplace, you’re not always going to get a say in everything, and there’s a reason why the person who’s in charge of your organization is in charge. There’s a reason, they have more insight into the daily business. They have more insight into decisions.

You’re not always going to know everything that happens at your workplace, and you’re not always going to have a say in everything that happens at your workplace. Now, do I think that’s right? Do I think that’s fair? I don’t know. I’m not sure. But I do think there’s a balance or a perspective that can be had. If you are challenging your organization’s mission or what your organization is up to, you might consider asking some questions, because you’re likely not going to be privy to all of the information that led your organization to be making that decision.

There’s also some, unfortunately, some trust that you simply have to have in your organization to be doing the right things. If you don’t have that trust, it’s possible that you’re going to be going down a path of disdain at the workplace every single day, and you’re going to challenge every single decision. That’s going to be not a very happy existence. Again, I’m not saying that it’s right or correct or fair, but I am saying there’s just some give and take that needs to happen at the workplace.

Now, to another thing that you said, which was bringing up marginalized folks, who gets to be in power? Who gets to make those decisions? That’s an area where I have some other thoughts that conflict to everything that I just said, so I’ll pause and let you react.

Ren:

Well, something that you just said, I think for me personally … when we think about trust, think about your personal relationships, to anyone who’s listening. If you don’t have trust, every behavior, every action, it seems like a villainous act. It’s interesting to think, what does it look like to build and rebuild and manage trust? I think in Condoleezza’s experience, and I know she has to face some of that at work now, being a Stanford professor and co-director, albeit of the Hoover Institute, named after one of our most nefarious governmental figures in the FBI … I think it’s an interesting opportunity to think — or at least I’m presuming that’s the case. I’m going to do my research. Do your own research, everybody. Geez. — I think about that trust. And I think about the trust that she’s had to rebuild in her career, because post 9/11 has revealed a lot of maybe disingenuous commentary. Even, I think we talked about Colin Powell or whatever, 20 or 30 episodes ago. Even him, who was heralded as this awesome dude, he had a lot of things … Post 9/11 wasn’t a good look for a lot of people.

Then you think about this idea of how do I maintain trust with you, and then how do I not see every action or every new phrase you say, like I’ve been reading to you here, as more of the same. And so then, maybe this is your chance to bridge, especially as a marginalized group when we’re told about, “You need to make your own decisions, or agency. You got to be accountable for your own growth.” I’m like, are you going to be accountable for the systems of oppression that you perpetuate? What are we talking about here? At least let’s be honest about both parts. I agree, personal accountability needs to happen for marginalized groups, but it can never happen if the bigger system doesn’t recognize its own role in the process.

Allison:

Yes, I agree. I couldn’t agree more. And, if the big system is benefiting you, how motivated are you going to be to change that? That’s where I can get myself into a bit of a rabbit hole because, without being too Debbie Downer here, then will it ever change? If it’s benefiting the people who perpetuate it, what would it take for all of that to change? That is a very big question. I know that. That’s just where my head is.

Ren:

Well, let’s just, for instance, the phrase Debbie Downer, like the phrase Lazy Susan, that is emblematic of, now this is going to harm some of you, but I promise you … this is emblematic of the patriarchy. People are like, “What does that mean, the patriarchy?” It means that we revere men and we minimize women, so much so that colloquially we’re used to saying, “I don’t want to be a Debbie Downer here,” because we know Deborah, and boy, is she a downer.

Or Lazy Susan. Now this is talking about way off-topic, but I don’t know. We’re talking about a woman leader who likely had to navigate all of this stuff. What’s a Lazy Susan? It’s a cabinet that spins. Why? Because women cook. What the hell? We still call it that. We don’t call it a Lazy Susan in our house. I call it a Lazy Gary. I’m busting trends.

Allison:

Gary, Gary, Gary.

Ren:

I call it a Lazy Ren, because I don’t want to bend down into the deep part of the cabinet. I think it’s interesting when we think about those systems of perpetuation, sometimes we’re not even aware about the small bricks that we continue to add to those walls. And you are one of the biggest champions, I would say, of that equitable point of view. It comes out of us because we’re culturally that way.

I think going back to Condoleezza, in her point of view, she’s like, “Hey, if I can cultivate a culture in the right kind of way, remember right or wrong, in great nations, they get in the game and they make the future.” I’m like, ugh, okay, but in whose image?

Allison:

Ren, gosh, I feel like we have this trend, you and I, of really getting to the good stuff when we’re 30 minutes in.

Ren:

Yes.

Allison:

Shoot, because I have so much to say. Thank you for your perspective on the Debbie Downer, and you’re right, these things come out of our mouths, and that just did come out of my mouth. How I learned about that term Debbie Downer was from a cartoon, and now I’m not going to remember which one. Language sticks with us, and language evolves.

I’m only saying this just to highlight how there are so many different perspectives in what you and I are just talking about right now. If you had said Lazy Susan to me, I probably wouldn’t think twice about it. Is it because I’m brainwashed by the patriarchy? Maybe. Maybe. Or do I just want the big picture to be solved? I don’t care. You know what I mean? I’m being personal here. If you were to say that … yes, it has a certain insinuation, I suppose.

And again, I don’t know if it would bug me so much as if you were going to say women belong in the kitchen. If you were to say that, then I might have some pause. We might have a conversation. I’m only saying that because sometimes it is hard to avoid language, because our language has evolved from the society in which we have been molding for a very long time. In the way that you just addressed it with me, I think is a really kind way to address it with people.

I just want to highlight that. Instead of saying, “Allison is sexist,” that’s an easy jump to make and that is a jump that people make all the time. I want to caution people from doing that, because I didn’t know and now I know. So thank you. That’s it, right? The other part of this … now I’ve just lost my train of thought, because I got us into a rabbit hole, so I’ll pause.

Ren:

I want to chase or tap into something you were saying around that you said, that you might take a bigger issue if I was saying women should be in the kitchen. I would say that phrases like Lazy Susan are a reminder of a woman’s role in society. Now there are a lot of people who are like, “Hey…” You’re allowed to believe this, too. If you’re listening and you’re like, “Hey dude, I’m a homemaker. I (beep) love it.” Excuse me. You have to bleep that out, Ryan. I think that’s … Good for you. I don’t care.

I think, to your earlier point around the values, I don’t really care, but we’ve got to be aware that there’s reasons that these monikers don’t have men’s names attached to them. For me it’s, again, it’s always the both / and. I hear you saying too, “Let’s not fight over this cabinet tool. Let’s have bigger conversations about where we are.”

I’d say yes, and when I talk to men and they shrug their shoulders and they say, “No, the patriarchy isn’t real. I don’t know what you’re talking about. I’ve never been advantaged as a man.” These are instances where I can point to and talk about why every pronoun starts with he, for the most part, when we’re referencing a fictional or an unimaginable or even a future character. Hey, what does your boss think about this? “Well, he thinks this.” Oh, I’m sorry, it’s a woman. Or things like that. That stuff happens all of the time.

Allison:

Oh, yeah. And I’m not disagreeing with you. I’m not. I’m just saying, my point in bringing that up was saying, it’s very easy to jump and say, “Allison just said Debbie Downer. She is sexist.” This is a very small example of what happens a lot. And all I’m saying is that, Ren, and to our listeners, the conversation you and I just had was objective and factual, and dare I say safe. You and I have trust though, so that probably helps.

But the minute that you jump and say to somebody, “Allison, you just made a sexist comment.” Again, Ren, if you said that to me, because we have a relationship, it might go differently, but I’m cautioning people to do that. That’s all. I’m cautioning people. The other perspective I want to give, and this is all over, this is … language evolves constantly, and how we use language evolves constantly. Do you need to be aware of what you say? Absolutely. Absolutely. I’m not arguing that.

The word trigger came up in a conversation. I was speaking to a group about mental health a couple of weeks ago. I have a former PTSD diagnosis. I am 6 years into the healing process, so I am all good. Don’t worry. If you were to say, Ren, and people say this all the time, “That comment was so rude, and now I’m triggered,” and people say that in jest all the time, I’m not going to jump down your throat. I know what you meant. But a trigger, to me, means that I physically feel, and my body responds biologically to, a bunch of people having their hands on me in a very inappropriate way. That is different. I’m not going to jump on top of you and attack you for saying that. That’s all I’m saying. I just got us so off track.

Ren:

No, I don’t think you did. I think it actually goes back to, likely something Condoleezza Rice is able to do and something we talked about in the beginning, perspective. What you’re talking about is perspective, and maybe to the real truth —

Allison:

Yes. And trust.

Ren:

And trust. Well, I would even say someone you don’t trust and dislike says that word trigger, you still have an opportunity to live in your healing. You’re 6 years down a journey. Some idiot uses that word and uses it in a way where you don’t trust them, and it does trigger or conjures you. Then still you’re like, “Okay, am I going to let this loser take all of my energy, or am I going to let this be a continued part of my healing?” I think whatever the answer is, you’ve got to do what’s right by you.

I think Condoleezza was able to maintain some of that perspective. One of the most favorite things I’ve heard of her recently saying is, in one of the early articles that I quoted, when she was talking about good leaders need to operate from values, she also talked about how, “I certainly like getting up in the morning, reading a newspaper, thinking I don’t have to do anything about what’s in it.” That sounds like peace. That sounds like someone who’s done the work and goes, “Those are problems. Yes, they are. And those are not my problems.” God, I want to get to that.

Allison:

Yeah. Wouldn’t that be nice? I think you can. Gosh, I know I’m paying attention to the time here, because I know that we probably need to wrap up here in the next few minutes, but Condoleezza Rice certainly has quite the legacy, and that’s how we started this conversation. I do want to reground us in a little bit of her history that you’ve already mentioned, and that I’ve already mentioned too, is that she started her legacy probably before she was 15. It was at 15 that she just went to college, and she started her legacy so early on.

Ren, what is a tip you can give our listeners on developing legacy?

Ren:

Well, damn. Maybe it’s a tip that I think I take from Condoleezza is … make decisions, even if your decisions change. I think she was decisive, like she said around the priorities for the team. It’s like, let’s make decisions. When you think about your legacy, I guess it’s hard to get wrapped up on what should it be? Well, first of all, let’s not should all over ourselves. Get rid of the shoulds. Get rid of the oughts. What do you think it should be today? And then if it changes tomorrow, who cares?

I think it goes back to the congruency. Maybe that’s it. It’s like do your best to cultivate some congruency and think about, there’s a Stoic idea that you should act as if a person you admire the most is watching you; what would you do in front of them? It’s this idea, how do you maintain your good posture when people aren’t looking at you? It’s like, do you pick trash up? Well, only when someone’s looking. Or do you walk past it? It’s this idea of, you always keep that person in your mind.

Maybe you, listener, or anyone who’s building legacy, keep your older self in mind. Looking back, who do you want to be? Would you be proud of it? Or proud of the growth? I don’t know. What would you say?

Allison:

I would say all of that, and add that legacy is something that starts right now, and yesterday, and the day before. So, to be thoughtful, not to the point of being anxious, but just to be thoughtful and intentional about how you are showing up. And asking yourself the question, is this how I want to show up? Or was that, in that conversation I just had, for example. I think I would echo everything that you just said. And also, as a reminder, legacy is in every moment. It starts right now. So, to be thoughtful and intentional about how you are showing up.

Ren:

Love it.

Allison:

Well, we covered the gamut here, unexpectedly.

Ren:

Condoleezza Rice, you did it again. You’re an inspiration.

Allison:

Yes, thank you, Condoleezza Rice. Well, thanks for the conversation, Ren, and to all of our listeners, thanks for listening as well. Find us on LinkedIn. Let us know what you think about our Manager Madness series. Let us know what you want us to talk about next. Let us know, would you want to work for Condoleezza Rice? Why or why not? Find us on LinkedIn, and you can find all of our podcasts and show notes on ccl.org. A big thank you to the CCL team behind the scenes who make the podcast happen. Thanks everyone. We’ll see you next time.

Ren:

Thanks so much everybody. Thanks Allison. Thanks folks. See you next time. Find Allison on TikTok.

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The post Lead With That: Condoleezza Rice and the Importance of Values in Leadership appeared first on CCL.

That’s why we’ve identified “influencing others” as one of the 4 core leadership skills needed in every role. (Communicating, learning agility, and self-awareness are the other 3.)

Without the expertise and ability to influence others, the truly important things in work and in life can’t be achieved.

But effective leaders don’t just command; they inspire, persuade, and encourage. Leaders tap the knowledge and skills of a group, point individuals toward a common goal and consensus, and draw out a commitment to achieve results.

Influencing People Varies by Role

Early in your career, or in individual contributor roles, influence is about working effectively with people over whom you have no authority. It requires the ability to present logical and compelling arguments and engage in give-and-take.

When leading from the middle, you’ll want to focus particularly on developing the 4 key skills needed to influence others, which we expand on below.

In senior-level or executive roles, influencing others is more about steering long-range objectives, inspiring and motivating others, and communicating the vision.

But wherever you are in an organization, chances are you’ll want to master tactics to influence people, as influence is one of the 4 core leadership skills needed in every role.

“Without the capacity to influence others, your ability to make what you envision a reality remains elusive because, after all, no one can do it alone,” notes George Hallenbeck, a lead contributor to our Lead 4 Success® program, which helps leaders develop these 4 key essentials of leadership.

Influencing Others: 4 Key Skills

4 Influencing Skills

The best leaders have these 4 key influencing skills:

• Organizational Intelligence: They understand how to get things done and embrace the reality of working within organizational politics to move teams and important initiatives forward.
• Team Promotion: Leaders cut through the noise to authentically and credibly promote themselves — while also promoting what’s good for the entire organization.
• Trust-Building: Because leadership often involves guiding people through risk and change, trust is essential.
• Leveraging Networks: No leader is an island. They are empowered by their connections with others.

Here’s a look at each of these influencing skills in a little more detail, and how you and your team can use them to influence others.

1. Practice “Organizational Intelligence.”

All organizations have 2 sides: the formal structure pictured on the org chart and the informal structure, which more often represents how things really get done. Politically savvy leaders understand both.

Political savvy is both a mindset and a skillset. Savvy leaders view politics as a neutral and necessary part of organizational life that can be used constructively and ethically to advance organizational aims.

For a leader, political skills in action look like:

• Networking to build social capital, including mingling strategically.
• Thinking before responding, considering context and goals before deciding when and how to express their point of view.
• Paying close attention to nonverbal cues, practicing active listening, considering how others might feel, and finding ways to appeal to the common good.
• Leaving people with a good impression, without coming across as “trying too hard.”

2. Promote Yourself, Promote Your Team.

Self-promotion is often seen as bragging or selfishness. But leaders who know how to influence people understand that by promoting themselves authentically and for the right reasons, they can cut through the information that bombards us all each day.

In the hands of an astute leader, authentic self-promotion isn’t just a tool to advance one’s own career. It can provide visibility and opportunities for their direct reports, generate team and organizational pride, and make capabilities and ideas more visible across the organization — ultimately enhancing collaboration and consensus.

Two self-promotion strategies stand out.

First, leaders who are good at influencing others find ways to gather an audience. They may ask more people to be part of a team, initiative, or problem-solving process.

Second, they find ways to “put on a show” and step into the spotlight at selected events and meetings, sometimes creating their own events.

3. Build & Maintain a Foundation of Trust.

Building and maintaining leadership trust is essential. Without trust, leaders may be able to force people to comply, but they’ll never tap the full commitment, capabilities, and creativity the group can offer. Leveraging these assets is invaluable when tackling tough challenges or making strategic change, so trust is vital.

People look for leaders who can appreciate their vulnerability and inspire them, understand them, support them, and guide them through looming chaos. This requires the leader to demonstrate a broad range of expertise and behaviors, some of which might seem contradictory but, when used in an appropriate and timely manner, create conditions that foster trust.

Trust involves a careful balance between pushing people into areas where they’re uncomfortable while also listening carefully to their concerns and feedback. Among the many “balancing acts” they must work to maintain, trustworthy leaders negotiate between toughness and empathy as individuals struggle with transition, as well as urgency with patience as change proceeds.

4. Leverage Networks.

Finally, leaders that know how to influence people recognize and cultivate the power of networks. Organizations are increasingly dynamic; they morph in size and shape over time. Influential leaders have a network perspective and recognize that their personal networks must also be dynamic and growing. They’re also strategic about choosing how and when to tap into this network.

When Influencing Others, Remember Context Matters

Across all 4 of these influencing skills — political savvy, self-promotion, building trust, and networking — context is important.

The goal is to influence others, not manipulate them.

Effective, ethical leaders use different approaches in different situations, choosing carefully when and how to influence people using influencing tactics that appeal to the head, heart, or hands. For example, a leader may use rational persuasion techniques when there’s factual evidence to present. On the other hand, they may opt to use inspirational appeals or consultation methods to generate buy-in when discussing a new project or proposal with their team.

3 Tactics for Influencing Others

We’ve found that influencing tactics fall into 3 categories: logical, emotional, or cooperative appeals. In other words, using the head, heart, or hands to influence people:

• Logical Appeals (Head): Tap into people’s rational and intellectual positions. You present an argument for the best choice of action based on organizational benefits, personal benefits, or both, to appeal to people’s minds.
• Emotional Appeals (Heart): Connect your message, goal, or project to individual goals and values. An idea that promotes a person’s feelings of wellbeing, service, or sense of belonging tugs at the heartstrings and has a good chance of gaining support.
• Cooperative Appeals (Hands): Involve collaboration, consultation, and alliances. Working together to accomplish a mutually important goal extends a hand to others in the organization and is an extremely effective way to influence people. Leaders who effectively use these tactics to influence people can achieve their goals and objectives more successfully than leaders who lack that ability, regardless of where they sit in an organization.

Leaders need to understand why they’re doing something — and be clear about their own values, goals, and point of view when applying their influence skills and planning their approach.

That way, influencing others comes from a place of authenticity and has the greatest impact.

Unsure where to start? Think about a situation in the near future when you will need to influence someone, and reflect on the following questions to form a plan:

• Who am I attempting to influence?
• What is the situation? How much support do I need?
• Why do I need this person’s support of my idea?
• What tactics can I use, and how can I establish rapport?
• What responses do I anticipate?
• What mutual points of agreement can I use?
• How can I end on a positive note, no matter what the outcome is?

How to Recognize When You’re Being Influenced

When you’re a leader who is used to being the influencer, it can be challenging to identify when the tables have been turned. If fellow teammates or executives are trying to persuade you, it’s important to recognize when and how you’re being influenced.

To start, gain some self-awareness about your own biases and personal point of view. Determine your current strengths and development needs, and understand that you will typically act out of your strengths.

Ask yourself, “What will it take for me to be more aware and balance my typical approach to be more effective with others?”

The better you understand yourself, the better you’ll be at understanding others. If you do find yourself being influenced, consider leveraging the consultation tactic in response to offer up your thoughts, desires, and suggestions for discussion. This type of collaboration will be an especially helpful technique if you disagree and need to negotiate a path forward. You may discover that the time you’ve spent thinking about the most effective way to influence others will come in very handy.

Ready to Take the Next Step?

Upskill your team by building their capacity to influence others successfully. Partner with us for a customized learning journey for your leaders using our research-based modules. Available leadership topics include Authentic Leadership, Communication, Emotional Intelligence, Influence Skills Training, Listening to Understand, Self-Awareness, and more.

The post How to Influence People: 4 Skills for Influencing Others appeared first on CCL.

What Does It Mean to Have a Network Perspective?

Network perspective is the ability to look beyond formal, designated relationships and see the complex web of connections between people in and beyond your organization.

It’s one of the most important skills to develop for yourself — and your organization.

Network-savvy leaders intentionally develop the ability to see, understand, and engage the informal, invisible structure supporting the organization. They use this network perspective to create a more connected, interdependent culture at their organization. Some take it even further, expanding their organization’s network throughout the world.

At the individual level, a network perspective allows you to move beyond the official structure (the “org chart”) to get work done using informal networks.

This network perspective means knowing who has influence and where to go for information. It’s also about seeing — and tapping into — the ties that extend beyond your organization into other organizations, communities, and society.

At a broad level, networks are a natural part of an interdependent yet volatile world. Many leaders and academics are coming to the conclusion that our understanding of leadership should consider both the natural and strategically created networks.

The Connection Between Network Perspective and Leadership

Since we live in an extremely complex, changing, and interconnected world, the ability to understand and leverage informal organizational networks and connections is vital and crucial for leaders. In an environment that involves tough decision-making quickly and often, leaders can no longer rely on hierarchy or traditional approaches to get information or make things happen.

By embracing leadership as a shared process that engages and creates networks, organizational leaders with network savvy create several benefits:

• An increase in the collective capacity for leadership;
• The enabling of others to step up, adjust, and make decisions about the future of a project, team, organization, or community; and
• The transformation of the leadership culture from reliance on command-and-control hierarchies to adaptation within agile, interdependent networks.

Informal Networks Can Strengthen Your Organization’s Strategy

As we note in our research white paper, informal networks can strengthen your organization’s strategy.

The patterns and quality of informal social networks connecting members of an organization greatly affect its ability to succeed in a competitive marketplace. Suboptimal patterns of communication and influence may alienate critical future talent and lead to problems in strategy development and implementation.

Analyzing the networks of top executives uncovers gaps between how communication and influence should ideally flow — and how they do in reality. That network analysis opens the door to building network connections that can improve retention of high-potential talent and ultimately, optimize the development and execution of the organization’s strategy.

Conversations among leaders in upper and middle management often determine an organization’s strategy and eventual success. So senior leaders in particular should pay attention to their organization’s leadership networks and strengthen ties where they matter most.

Executives will want to ensure that high-potential middle managers are engaged and that their contributions are weighted appropriately by the top management team, which is critical to avoiding riskier, less robust, or ineffective organizational strategies.

Why Leaders Need a Network Perspective

7 Reasons to Take a Network Perspective

Now that you know what a network perspective is and the benefits of it for individuals and organizations, here’s why leaders need a network perspective:

1. Connections matter.

Individuals don’t exist in isolation and their connections provide opportunities, access to valuable information and resources, and also create constraints. The people they’re connected to influence their ideas, attitudes, and behaviors.

2. Work often happens through informal channels.

Even after decades of restructuring, work activities often occur through interactions outside of formal reporting and working relationships. Understanding informal networks is especially important in flat, team-based, and agile work environments where formal structure provides little guidance.

3. Leadership occurs through relationships.

Direction, alignment, and commitment are created through relationships between people working on shared challenges. All people contribute to this process and thus, leadership may be shared throughout the network. Further, boundary spanning leadership requires network perspective to accurately see and build connections between groups.

4. Successful leaders develop networks of strong, diverse relationships.

They realize that under- and over-connectivity stifle performance and limit outcomes. Purposeful (strategic) and authentic networking is the key to developing healthy networks that prevent insularity. They work collaboratively across boundaries (like hierarchies, geographic regions, functional silos, stakeholder interests, and demographic differences) to build relationships with diverse groups of people.

5. Network knowledge is an asset in change efforts.

Relying on formal, vertical channels alone hinders the capacity to adapt to emerging issues. Change efforts may be accelerated by activating and enhancing the network’s capacity to span boundaries. This approach is critically important in cultural transformation because organizational culture lives largely within the conversations between people. Understanding these connections provides insights into subcultures, pockets of resistance, and hidden champions of the transformation.

6. Innovation networks can be identified and supported.

Innovation first requires new, creative ideas. But new ideas are not enough; they must be implemented in the organization through a targeted innovation process. Research suggests network structures that facilitate creativity and implementation differ from each other in specific ways. Organizations need networks that support the generation and sharing of diverse ideas, as well as collective action. (It also helps when people understand how their role in driving innovation depends on where they sit.)

7. The most important challenges leaders face today are interdependent.

Complex challenges can’t be addressed by individuals alone; they’re best solved by groups of people across boundaries working together.

All in all, having a network perspective is the key to thriving in a world in which everything is, or will be, connected.

Ready to Take the Next Step?

Upskill your team’s network perspective and leadership skills with a customized learning journey using our research-backed modules. Available leadership topics include Boundary Spanning, Communication, Collaboration & Teamwork, Conflict Resolution, the DAC Framework for Effective Leadership, Innovation Leadership, Leading People Through Change, Listening to Understand, and more.

Or, partner with our Leadership Analytics experts to better understand your organization’s network connections and strengthen your overall strategy and culture.

The post Network Perspective and Leadership: Are You Connected? appeared first on CCL.

A woman in one of our leadership programs bristled at the idea of strategic networking.

“It’s self-serving and political — and not who I am,” she said.

She isn’t alone in her reaction. Many women in our leadership programs tell us they resist networking. The problem is, a network left to chance isn’t the network you need to advance your career.

Ignoring networks can damage or limit your career and leadership effectiveness — and this is true for both men and women. The right relationships and ties are known to be an asset in getting access to information, earning promotions, and gaining opportunities.

Having the right network is a real differentiator — and it’s not about the number of contacts or connections you have. High-quality networks are open and varied, with people who don’t all know each other. They are diverse, crossing critical boundaries. And core relationships are deep, trusting, and mutually beneficial.

A McKinsey study found that 50% of a company’s intellectual capital is a “relational asset” and 75% of individual capital is their relationships. And leaders with the right kinds of networks are likely to be high performers.

Even though many professional women understand the value in making connections and having political skill, women networking with others can still be a struggling point.

It may be that women are hardwired toward deeper, more personal connections, so transactional relationships feel insincere, according to the thinking of some evolutionary biologists.

But regardless, if networking goes against your natural tendencies, you have some work to do. Here are our tips on networking for women — and men — who struggle with it.

Women’s Networking Tips: 5 Ways to Build a Network

Strengthen Your Networking Skills

Just as relationships can be learned, so can the skills needed to strengthen your network. All are developed based on the concept that executives at any level must change the way they lead others by growing relationships. Here are our networking tips:

1. Don’t fall for the common myths about networking.

What negative — and false — ideas do you hold about networking? First, realize that creating the right network is not about maintaining a big, expansive network or about schmoozing. You may be falling for one of these 5 common myths about networking:

• MYTH: Networking is insincere and manipulative.
• MYTH: Networking is only about politics and getting ahead.
• MYTH: Networking is done when all of the “real work” is done.
• MYTH: Networking is about how many contacts you have.
• MYTH: Networking is for extroverts.

2. Understand your network structure.

Take time to list or map out your network. To get a clear picture of your network, take a piece of paper and draw a circle in the middle. Write your name in the circle. Then write down the names of people with whom you have strong connections — put them close to your circle. Write the names of those with whom you have weak or distant ties farther away from your circle. Finally, ask yourself who should be in your network? Place them (either by name or role) farthest out on your paper.

Then look for patterns in your connections. Are your close ties limited by location or function? Who knows the people you want to know? Are relationships operational, personal, or strategic? Close or distant? Trusting and mutually beneficial? Superficial and one-sided? Vertically diverse? Is your network heavy with people who are similar to you or to each other? Do they all know each other? Is your network outdated, just because it’s easier to avoid networking? The first step is to understand your network’s strengths and weaknesses.

With this insight, you can strategically ask for introductions or find other ways to meet or work with key people. Learn why this network perspective is imperative for leaders.

3. Think in terms of resources.

Identify what resources you need to do your job, have influence, and advance your career. You need a network of champions — mentors and sponsors to help you forge a path and position you for opportunities. Who in your network has those resources? What resources do you need access to, but have no one in your network to help you obtain? Start with what you need most from your network right now. Then consider what you will need down the road.

One tip: for women networking, finding a sponsor — a senior leader with influence who will advocate for a promotion — is critical, but finding one can be a challenge. Download our free mentoring resources to help you find, or become, a mentor or sponsor.

4. Connect with others authentically.

Read the situation and really listen. Networking is really just about connecting with the right people so you have a greater insight — and greater say. Politically astute managers find that by being honest and sincere in their relationships and requests, they inspire others to trust and have confidence in them.

Also, be a perceptive observer. Social astuteness — the ability to read and anticipate situations — allows you to prepare, adapt, and tailor your behavior based on the people and conditions around you. One way to boost your powers of observation is to pay attention to the nonverbal behaviors of the people around you. In your next meeting, try to get a sense for how people are feeling in addition to what they are saying. This idea applies to virtual meetings as well, but rather than watching, you’ll want to observe by listening.

Go beyond active listening to really hear and listen to understand where others are coming from.

Seek advice and let others know their input is important to you. Any relationship involves learning from other people and listening to what they have to offer, and doing so sincerely is critical for authentic leadership.

Asking for feedback is critical in building a network. If other team members feel as though you don’t care to hear their thoughts, then they won’t offer input when you really need their expertise. Seek honest answers from your peers. Ask for earnest, straightforward feedback from your superiors. Again, however, those conversations come only by building a good relationship. To keep track of how you’re doing, do this on a regular basis.

Ask directly for networking tips from colleagues and superiors. How do they advise you expand your network? See if you can get honest feedback from coworkers or advisors on your influence style. Do people perceive your efforts as manipulative, insincere, or back-handed? Are you seen as trying too hard or taking way more than you give? Do you make promises you (or your team) can’t keep? Over time, a lack of integrity will weaken relationships, bring your credibility into question, and undermine your influence.

Reflect on what’s working. A concrete way to work on your network is to keep a “network notebook” for a week. Write down what you observe about how others interact. Note connections that seem to work and ones that misfire. Who seems isolated and why? By week’s end, check and see where your networking skills stack up against your observations.

Be in the know. Influential people are the ones who know what’s going on. Successful managers are resources about people, processes, facts, and history of a company or project. By becoming an information hub, those managers become people everyone wants in their network. Find out what you know and what you need to improve on by cataloging some of your information assets. Once you see your strengths, make sure you can find a way to let others incorporate your skills into their work habits. You’ll become a resource and possibly even a mentor seen as a valuable element in the company. This is part of building your leadership brand.

5. Develop your network by building, maintaining, leveraging, and transitioning relationships.

Build value and be patient. Strengthening your network doesn’t happen overnight. But once you’re clear what kind of network is needed, you can begin by providing others value before you need resources. You can make choices now to build relationships that have value for the long term.

Certainly, you can grow your network by attending formal networking activities, including women networking groups and other large events.

But also think of how to embed networking into daily work, such as volunteering for a new project, scheduling one-on-one meetings, asking connections for introductions, or acting as a mentor. Invite others into your realm, even if just making time for a brief conversation before or after a meeting. Socializing outside of work, having lunch with people not in your “inner circle,” and referring a person to someone else — being a connector — are all good options.

Volunteer for assignments and get out of your comfort zone. The only way to do that is to raise your hand for the next project or assignment that involves people from outside your work group. Knowledge grows when relationships build, and it leads to greater skill at influencing others.

Just as relationships can be learned, so can the skills needed to strengthen your network. All are developed based on the concept that executives at any level must change the way they lead others by growing their relationships. Building the right network is key to leading effectively, getting results, and developing your career. You can learn how to do it and be genuine at the same time. Hopefully these networking tips will help you do it.

Ready to Take the Next Step?

Talented women leaders participating in our customized women’s leadership development training programs learn more networking tips for women and discover how to become more effective and influential leaders at their organizations.

The post Do You Struggle With Building a Network? 5 Networking Tips for Women appeared first on CCL.

Women — and leaders of all genders — must advocate for themselves if they want to move their careers forward. But women in particular face leadership challenges that are embedded within larger systems. As a historically marginalized group, women often face exclusion based on their intersecting social identities, including gender, race, class, age, religion, sexual orientation, family/caregiver status, etc.

To succeed in their careers, women can’t go it alone. They need a network of champions — including mentors and sponsors.

Why Mentorship for Women Is More Important Now than Ever Before

Across the world, women have experienced unprecedented job loss, both voluntary and involuntary, due to the pandemic and its aftermath. Since COVID-19, women’s departures from the workforce have outpaced men’s across nearly every function, level, industry, and country.

More than 4 in 10 women report they considered leaving their companies or switching jobs in 2020–2021, and 35% of the women who left or lost their jobs during the pandemic were still unemployed as of Feb. 2022.

Even before the pandemic, women were vastly underrepresented in senior management roles, even though they outnumbered men at almost every educational level and made up about half the workforce in most countries. For women of color, this wage and leadership gap is even wider.

To offset the pandemic’s recent hit to women’s progress in the workforce — and continue to advance more equitable, diverse, and inclusive cultures — organizations must address the systemic imbalances that impact women. They must provide women leaders with the resources and support they need to succeed.

As noted in our book, Kick Some Glass: 10 Ways Women Succeed at Work on Their Own Terms, the people around an individual have the ability to either support or hinder their growth towards becoming the best leader they can be. Access to influential leaders and supportive work relationships is critical to career advancement.

Therefore, a key step organizations can take towards supporting women leaders is to prioritize sponsoring and mentoring for women — particularly by influential leaders, who are often men.

Both mentors and sponsors are critical to helping aspiring women leaders gain the perspective and connections they need to take on larger roles and advance their careers.

What’s the Difference Between a Mentor and a Sponsor?

By the time they reach mid-career, most leaders can name a handful of advisers — bosses, coaches, colleagues, and friends — who’ve helped them build confidence and develop needed skills. These advisers may be mentors and/or sponsors.

While both mentors and sponsors guide professional development, there are important differences when it comes to mentorship and sponsorship in the workplace.

The Difference Between Mentorship and Sponsorship in the Workplace

Mentors provide guidance and support, whether around a specific need or for ongoing development. They listen to their mentees’ experiences and give constructive, direct, and honest feedback.

Our research has found that people who are mentored:

• Are better prepared for promotions and have higher success rates;
• Stay with their organizations longer;
• Feel more satisfied with their jobs and careers; and
• Rate higher on performance measures.

We also found that “mentees” have greater impact in their organizations, are perceived as being more innovative and creative, show higher resilience to setbacks, and have stronger networks. Learn more in our article, Mentoring at Work: How (and Why) to Implement It in Your Organization.

A mentor may also be a sponsor — but not necessarily. A sponsor is a specific type of mentor who goes above and beyond giving advice.

Sponsors are advocates who actively work to advance the career of their “sponsoree,” touting their accomplishments and potential, connecting them to others in their network, and recommending them for bigger roles. A sponsor pushes their “sponsoree” to take on challenging assignments and actively advances their career progression — including in off-the-record or closed-door meetings with other leaders.

Since the people who can advocate and create opportunities for others have some level of authority in an organization, they are likely upper-level leaders — people in power. And as statistics continue to reveal, in most organizations, that pool of influencers is still primarily male.

So while sponsors are important for men, they are critical for women. Yet men are more likely than women to have sponsors.

Mentoring at all career stages is important, but without sponsors who take that next step to advocate on their behalf, women — especially women of color — are at a disadvantage.

Why Is Sponsorship in the Workplace Imbalanced Between Genders?

4 Reasons Women Leaders Are Under-Sponsored

1. Like attracts like.

Since people naturally tend to gravitate to other people who are like them, male leaders may unconsciously be inclined to mentor and champion other men.

Similarly, women may not feel comfortable asking somebody several levels up — especially someone who doesn’t look like them — for advice or sponsorship. So even with no other factors at play, more men than women are sponsored, and leadership power structures remain largely unchanged.

2. Unconscious bias also plays a role.

Historically, images and ideals of leadership have been associated with stereotypically masculine qualities, and so women are less likely to be perceived as “leadership material,” as compared to men.

Research shows that women face a double-bind of being seen as either competent or likable — but not both.

Research has also found that women receive fewer stretch assignments and more vague, personal, and unhelpful feedback than men — preventing them from getting clear information about their performance that would push them to learn, grow, and improve.

3. Assumptions are problematic.

Often, women have the right qualifications and personal readiness but still aren’t considered for a promotion or critical assignment, something we hear from leaders in our custom women’s leadership development programs. More senior leaders simply make assumptions about women’s capabilities and interests, and then make decisions for them:

• She’s too nice; she wouldn’t want this job …
• She has young children; the travel schedule will be too demanding …
• She won’t want this promotion; she’d have to relocate her family …
• She hasn’t done this before; she won’t feel up for the challenge …

These assumptions may not be conscious or spoken, but they cause women to be overlooked for roles they would be great at.

4. “Queen Bee Syndrome” contributes, too.

The few women who have broken through the glass ceiling often still find themselves feeling stuck because of gender bias that exists within the larger systems at play. While many women do sponsor, promote, or support the career advancement of other women, those who don’t are sometimes called “queen bees” and are considered unsupportive of other women.

But our research has found that when women executives do advocate for diversity and promote other women, they receive lower competency and performance ratings. So it’s understandable that senior women may hesitate to promote or advocate on behalf of more junior women — it may feel as if it comes at too great a personal cost. Men who sponsor or promote women aren’t similarly penalized — and may even be rewarded for supporting diversity.

To mitigate power and bias, both men and women in positions of power should mentor and sponsor talent — regardless of gender. With awareness of the reality of power and bias in everyday actions, leaders should check their thinking, adjust as needed, and call out bias whenever they see it.

Can Men Provide Impactful Sponsoring & Mentoring for Women?

Why Men Are Critical Allies for Women Leaders (And Benefit from Mentoring & Sponsoring, Too)

Gender equity in the workplace should not be pegged as merely a “women’s issue” and be left to women to address. Men in leadership roles are ideally positioned to strengthen the leadership pipeline in their organizations by helping to retain and advance talented women.

Plus, mentoring and sponsoring others offers benefits to both parties. Our research found that leaders who mentor and advocate for others have:

• A stronger commitment to their organization;
• An enhanced perception of their leadership by others; and
• A greater sense of wellbeing, including increased job and personal satisfaction.

Our research also found that individuals who engage in mentorship and sponsorship in the workplace can build and enhance their own networks, more quickly access job-related and organizational news, and become better leaders themselves.

Some men think they wouldn’t be good at mentoring someone who’s different from them. Others may be wary of perceptions or misinterpretation of their work relationships with women.

Organizations should help combat this hesitation by encouraging all leaders – including men – to learn more about effective allyship. Share with your team our free workbook on sponsoring & mentoring women, which includes a section with tips on how men leaders can support talented women colleagues.

How Organizations Can Help Aspiring Women Leaders Build Strong Networks

Women leaders need both mentors and sponsors. They just need them for different things at different times.

Women leaders often view the responsibility to advance their careers or succeed in a new role as strictly their own. In our programs designed for women leaders, we often hear things such as:

• “If I do a good job, people will notice. If I do just a little more, work a little harder, it will happen. I don’t need a mentor or sponsor.”
• “I want to earn that promotion myself; it feels like cheating or pulling rank if I have a senior decision-maker on my side.”
• “The timing isn’t right, right now; I’ll go for the next opportunity.”

Many women wrestle with these concerns and feel uncomfortable about self-promotion at work.

But without direct access to the people who can set women leaders up for the experiences they need — and the support to help them through inevitable challenges — their career progress is likely to stall, leading to short-term frustration and long-term consequences.

Help your women leaders establish a network of champions, wherever they are in their careers. Doing so will ensure they’re surrounded by people who can help them shift the way they think and act and lift them up to higher levels of influence within the organization.

Providing formal organizational support for Employee Resource Groups, inviting emerging leaders to senior leadership meetings, and investing in formalized leadership development opportunities for women are all great ways to help your women leaders start to build strong networks.

Women leaders looking to take individual steps for building their networks can check out our article, 5 Networking Tips for Women.

Advancing Mentorship & Sponsorship in the Workplace for Women Leaders

HR Leaders, Start Now!

Ideally, women would have the mentors they need to help them navigate their careers, and senior leaders would see their skills and potential and enthusiastically sponsor them. But, since this isn’t happening by default in most organizations, there’s a leaky pipeline of talent.

Change is complex. Organizations that want to support women need to start by looking at the larger systems in which they operate to find the root causes of women leaving or not being promoted.

Encouraging sponsoring and mentoring for women is a great place to start. Communicate to everyone in your organization that this is a priority, and provide the resources and space to put plans into action. Don’t leave it up to individual women to establish mentorship or sponsorship arrangements.

Together, we can help create a network of champions for talented women, because when more women lead, individuals thrive — and organizations are better able to embrace the challenges of the future.

Ready to Take the Next Step?

Are you looking to drive sponsorship and mentorship for women in your organization? We invite you to download our complimentary guide on sponsoring & mentoring women. Or, commit to establishing a workplace environment that supports your talented women leaders with a customized women’s leadership development program.

The post Women Need a Network of Champions appeared first on CCL.

Or that you’re faking it in your career and just waiting for someone to discover that you’re a sham?

Chances are you’re suffering from impostor syndrome. And you’re not alone. Suffering from impostor syndrome is surprisingly common.

The authors of our guidebook Beating the Impostor Syndrome estimate that about 2 in 3 of the executives they’ve coached struggle with it. These executives reported feeling that they haven’t earned their accomplishments or somehow faked their way to success.

Why Is Overcoming Impostor Syndrome Important?

Self-doubt is really the seed of impostor syndrome, where you fail to recognize your capabilities, even in light of clear evidence to the contrary. You worry whether someone will find out that you’re here by mistake, and you focus on the qualifications others hold that you supposedly lack.

Beyond making you feel terrible, impostor syndrome can limit your career and personal growth. It can lead to burnout, emotional exhaustion, loss of intrinsic motivation, and poor achievement. It also causes stress, fear, anxiety, and loss of confidence. It can knock careers off-track and also harm team morale and organizational performance through micromanagement, slow decision-making, and perfectionism.

The problem is sometimes more common among women and minorities within the workforce. But anybody can fall victim to it.

But how can you shift from feeling inadequate to feeling powerful? How can you overcome impostor syndrome?

How to Overcome Impostor Syndrome

The good news is there are some simple steps you can take right away to build your confidence and overcome impostor syndrome.

By incorporating these 4 behaviors into your routine, you should have a more defined sense of the value and experience you bring to each exchange in the workplace. These tactics can help you start to own your success and stop feeling like a fraud:

4 Tactics to Build Confidence

1. Focus on the facts.

List your achievements and objectively assess the skills, capabilities, and qualities that helped you succeed thus far. Allow yourself to feel proud of your accomplishments. Consciously avoid giving “luck” credit for your success.

2. Challenge limiting beliefs.

Examine your deep-seated beliefs about the criteria for success. Then look for facts or examples to test whether these criteria are actually valid, and how they might hold you back. Recognize the valuable perspective you’ve gained from personal hardships you’ve faced.

3. Claim your strength.

Instead of focusing on your weaknesses, embrace your assets, and reflect on how to leverage them more fully. Advocate for yourself and own your strengths. Don’t shy away from some authentic self-promotion.

4. Talk about it.

Share your feelings with trusted friends, colleagues, a mentor, or an executive coach to put them in perspective and help you reinforce the positive changes you are making. Then, move on. Avoid rumination, which just creates stress, or letting yourself dwell.

Find more insights on how to overcome impostor syndrome and redefine success in our book Kick Some Glass: 10 Ways Women Succeed at Work on Their Own Terms.

Another Key to Overcoming Impostor Syndrome: Building a Network

If you’re still struggling to recognize your value and overcome impostor syndrome after embracing these practices, it might be time to consider a shift in role, organization, or work style.

Whether the next step involves a difficult conversation with your employer or taking the leap to start working for yourself, a healthy dose of self-confidence is required.

And if you feel like you’re going out on a limb to build a robust professional network, you may also want to work on strengthening your network, although some women find networking challenging.

Many people, especially women leaders, find themselves viewing “networking” in a negative light. But networking can help you take your career to the next level or build a supportive community of people facing similar dilemmas. If this is a struggle for you, check out our networking tips for women.

And having a mentor or sponsor can also help you overcome impostor syndrome. You need a network of champions to help you advance in your career, so look at who you can enlist to help out, and who you can help. We often grow as people through the relationships we form, so realize that what you have to offer — while it may be hard to see sometimes — will likely help others develop as well.

Whether you’re ready for a change, or just need some new perspective on your current role as you try to overcome impostor syndrome, Kick Some Glass offers reassurance: “You are more ready than you know. You have more talent than you may recognize … trust yourself. Trust that all you have done before will serve you well. Trust that you are ready.”

Ready to Take the Next Step?

Our leadership programs can help boost self-awareness and confidence in individuals who are struggling to overcome impostor syndrome and self-doubt. And organizations can do more to retain and advance their talented women leaders by partnering with us for women’s leadership development. 

The post How to Overcome Impostor Syndrome appeared first on CCL.