Women are making incredible strides in their professional careers, taking on roles that would have never been considered possible a few short decades ago. There are female workers in every sector in the United States (and many other places throughout the world) and more women hold leadership roles, accomplishing incredible things in those positions. While it’s inspiring to see how far we’ve come, there is still a lot that can be done for women and their professional journeys. Women hold less than 4% of corporate CEO positions and are only about 20% of America’s government, even though they make up half the country. For the rest of the women out there, here are some rules from the world’s most successful female leaders on how to keep moving forward and help women achieve even more!
Find courage
To become a successful women, you need to say goodbye to fear or use that fear to further your career. If something seems intimidating, do not let it get the best of you. You can conquer your fears to achieve true success. Be courageous and try something new, even if you don’t know how it will work out. Refuse to become complacent with what you’re doing and constantly seek improvement.
Understand calculated risks
Taking risks likely instills a sense of fear in you, because you do not know whether the risk will pay off. Remember to find courage and take that risk! Carefully think over the decision and then make a calculated risk in order to help yourself. Know how you can benefit from the risk and make sure it isn’t rash.
Imagine bigger
When trying something new, ask how big it can be. Instead of settling for how things already are, innovate new ideas and get creative. You can always be more successful or aim for something higher, so keep yourself on your toes and look ahead to the best you can be.
Discipline yourself
Learn to focus on what’s important and where you wish to accomplish the most. You cannot do everything at once, so practice discipline to manage your time and focus on the areas that truly ignite your passion. If you spread yourself too thin, everything you’re doing will suffer.
Take control of your career
Constantly evaluate your career and think about where you want to be. What do you want to be doing in five years? Ten? Take the necessary steps to reach those goals. Find businesses that help you reach those goals, but if they hold you back, go somewhere else. The only one who can really help your career is you.
Utilize determination
If you truly want something, you need to constantly stay determined to get it. Without that determination and focus, you’ll feel defeated whenever an obstacle arises. Know what you want and never stop chasing that dream; with determination, you’ll find it much easier to reach your goals.
Make smart hiring decisions
Many people advocate hiring a diverse group of employees, so you can hear a variety of ideas and perspectives. If you hire a group of people who thinks exactly the same way, you’ll miss valuable viewpoints and lack a well-roundedness that’s essential to business.
Be a master at delegating
While it’s common for successful people to value control so they know tasks are being done correctly, it’s vital that you know when to delegate. If you try to do every single thing yourself, you’ll burn out. Learn to delegate tasks, at work and home, so not everything rests on your shoulders. True leaders know how to recognize competent workers (and partners) and let them help out.
Check out this article for real-life applications of these rules and the women who follow them.