Have you noticed how many women in their midlife years are done with being polite? They have been oh so professional, and now they understand that that doesn’t get them what they want or the respect they deserve. They now step into their power, using their voice to demand more and speak up. That is leadership.
In your early career, you might have mistaken politeness for professionalism, becoming accommodating and amiable to fit in, to be liked even. That worked when you were the new girl, but now you are an experienced woman with ideas, solutions, and something to say.
You waited for the right moment to speak.
You softened your idea so it didn’t land too hard.
You let him finish even though he was repeating what you said five minutes ago.
You felt diminished, and pretended it was being professional. You called it strategic. You called it knowing how to read the room. It is actually fawning, and women have been trained to do it for centuries.
We call it what it is: conditioning that keeps brilliant women out of the leadership seats.
Politeness was never the problem. The problem is that women have been taught to be good, nice, grateful, and, above all, palatable. Is that the price of being taken seriously?
It isn’t.
The women at the top aren’t there because they are polite. They get their seat because they have delivered something real. They have put their ideas forward, asking for forgiveness rather than permission, made wise choices, and stopped waiting for the right moment. They created it and then acted assertively and decisively. These women are not yes people. They hold their boundaries and ask for what they want or need. AND they bring people with them by using their feminine strengths of collaboration, support, care, and nurturing. People respect them because it goes both ways.
Sure, some people aren’t comfortable being around strong, powerful women, but don’t put others comfort above your own. You don’t need to be compassionless, heartless, or stone cold to be taken seriously. You can bring your whole self, AND ask for what you want, or state your hard No’s and passionate Yes’s with purpose.
If you are done softening your edges to make others comfortable, this Autumn’s Unapologetic Group is for you.
We want you to stop being polite and start leading unapologetically.
#WiseWomenLead #Unapologetic #WomenInLeadership #Leadership #WomenInBusiness