5 Ways to Kill It at Work

We know what works for men in the workplace, but what works for men does not necessarily work for women. Hearing stories of women who have achieved their career goals is one of the best ways to build a playbook of what does work for women in today’s working world, a primary goal of the Women Killing It! Podcast. Women accomplishing outstanding things have provided the wisdom for these 5 Ways to Kill it at Work:

1.  Make the Big Ask

Lynn Perkins, CEO and Co-founder of UrbanSitter, advises women to reach above their “weight class,” and put themselves out there. Without asking for something that feels unattainable, you have little chance of getting the win that takes your career to the next level.  After all, the worst that can happen is you get a “no.”

[Listen: Ellevate Podcast Episode 15: Speaking Up and Getting What You're Worth with Deepali Vyas]

2.  Embrace “No”

A “no” is simply an opportunity for a future “yes,” says Karen Talbott, who is killing it as a realtor in Brooklyn. When Karen gets a “no,” she gets up again, brushes herself off and does not break her stride.

If you are not hearing “no” as a regular part of your work life, odds are you are not asking for enough. Strive to get at least one “no” a week, and stop limiting what is possible.

3.  Go In Person

When Lynn Perkins had the opportunity to ask Melanie Healey, a former Procter & Gamble executive who sits on the boards of Verizon and Target, to join the board of directors for UrbanSitter, Lynn did not phone it in. Lynn and her business partner said, “You know what? Let's actually fly to Cincinnati and meet her in person.” It worked. In today’s age of digital communication, meeting face-to-face yields greater results and builds a stronger network to catapult your career.

4.  Declare Yourself Awesome

“I wish I had known that I would feel this confident at this stage in my career,” said Ellen Martin, two-time Emmy Award winner and Co-Creator of the Nickelodeon series ‘Blaze and the Monster Machines,’ reflecting on her younger self. She suffered a long period of Imposter Syndrome, lacking confidence at work. Luckily, Ellen had female mentors who told her, “keep going,” and she portrayed confidence outwardly even if she did not feel it on the inside.

The gender confidence gap is real, and we women are doing ourselves a disservice by underestimating how amazing we are. It is not our fault. A myriad of outside forces are preying upon our egos, such as getting paid less than men for the same work and social norms that equate a woman’s worth with her sexual attractiveness. Even the rockstars I ask to be on my Women Killing It! podcast often respond that they are not, in their view, killing it.

But it does not have to be this way. Confidence is yours for the taking and no one can stop you. So, take it! Fake it! And while you are at it, boost other women’s confidence by cheering their achievements. I give #keepkillingit shout-outs on Facebook and Twitter to women accomplishing great things – join me!

[Related: The New Confidence Rules]

5.  Squad Up

This strategy is so important that I have built my forthcoming video series Squad Up around it. Countless women I interview credit other women’s support for their success. Elisa Zuritsky and Julie Rottenberg, Co-Showrunners and Co-Executive Producers of Bravo’s hit comedy series Odd Mom Out, kept in close touch with their writing colleagues from Sex and The City. Their squad kept them motivated through a decade of writing pilots for shows that did not work out.

As another example, Carla Tan Eyck, an acclaimed wedding photographer, uses accountability groups to keep on track. Her squad of photographer friends runs their gatherings like business meetings, followed by cocktails or dinner to keep it fun.

So find your group of supportive women and Squad Up! Ellevate Network is one great place to start.  

--

Sally Hubbard is creator and Host of the popular podcast, Women Killing It! Through interviews and real-life storytelling, Sally’s mission is to create a movement of women celebrating each other’s successes and inspiring one another. For more inspiration and support, check out the Women Killing It! podcast every Tuesday morning and join the community at WomenKillingIt.com