My name is Avil Beckford, and I'm the host of the One Problem Podcast. You know that there are tons of problems in the world, but we will not get overwhelmed. We're going to take it one problem at a time so that we can learn from each other.
People who are regular listeners know that most of the guests who come on I have some prior relationship with them and that's the case. It won't come as a surprise to you because this is another Ellevate sister. So today I present to you Lillian Davenport, who is a leadership and career strategist. Over to you, Lillian.
Lillian Davenport
Thank you so much, Avil. The problem that I'm addressing today is really based upon the McKinsey & Company and LeanIn.Org “Women in the Workplace 2021” research. And that research says that there is a 3% decline in women's representation, white women's representation, from entry level to the senior manager director level in the corporate pipeline. But there is an 8% decline for women of color.
So in a way that we look at it, women are losing ground in being promoted in the corporate leadership pipeline. And so what we're going to look at is how can women take more control of advancing their careers? And I offer three ways for women to take those actions and be in more control in closing that promotion gap because it will not close itself. We need to do something to actually make a dent there.
So the very first thing that I would say that we as women can do is to become more aware. Why is that important? There was some research that was done by Dr. Tasha Urich, who is an organizational psychologist, says that 95% of people believe they are self-aware. But in her research, there's a whopping gap between the two.
Lillian Davenport
It's only between about 10% to 15% of the population that are truly self-aware. So what does this self-awareness really mean? It really means fully knowing who you are, your values, your passions, your goals and your aspirations, your personality. What is it that others see? Your feelings and emotions, how those things come out, your strengths and your weaknesses. Those things that can be derailers, and understanding how you impact others and how they perceive you.
When we are more self-aware, we can lean into our strengths and really lean on them and use them to our advantage. But yet, we want to recognize and manage our weaknesses. That does not mean trying to turn a weakness into a strength. It truly is to manage that. And when do those weaknesses and those derailleurs usually show up? Usually when we're not really self-managing.
And when we're not self-managing, it's usually when we're under stress, we may become a little bit too direct. We may become really uncomfortably silent for others, kind of go into our shell. Or on the flip side, we can display those uncontrollable emotions. It reminds me of a story that I heard of a gentleman, that he would just be standing up on top of the desk and cussing people out.
Have you read or watched?
- Paulette Durepos, Women Entrepreneurs Working from Home Struggling with Isolation
- Shelley Nadel: How to Deal With the Volatile Stock Market
- Karen Wilson Robinson, The Importance of Protecting Your Intellectual Property
- Maureen Chiana, How to Lead to Bring Out the Best In Employees
- Ashley Brundage, Leadership and Empowerment Expert
- Sandra Folk, How to Deliver Effective Presentations
- Dorothy Vernon-Brown, Marketing Automation Strategist
- Tessa Drayton, The Importance of Having a Crisis Management Plan
- Safiya Robinson, Writing Coach, Editor, and Author
- Robin Sacks, Confidence Coach: How to Flip the Switch on Negative Self Talk
- Diane Darling, Professional Networking Strategist; Speaker, Instructor & Coach
- Rosie Yeung, Founder and President Changing Lenses
- Nancy Ynchaustegui, Health and Fitness Coach
- Carol Walkner, Life Guide, Energy Healer, and Clairvoyant
- Mariett Ramm, Founder, the Powerful Woman, International Bestselling Author
- Sarah Elkins, Storytelling and StrengthsFinder Coach
- Debbie McKiver, Founder of the Strong and Healthy Temple
- Hedieh Safiyari, Founder, Prompt Health, Healthcare Solutions
- Benita Lee, Trade Consultant, Founder, Benita Lee Professional Corporation
- Jenny Siede, Chief Design Thinker, Green Neurons
We don't want those uncontrollable emotions to come into play. Why does it matter? Because people's perceptions become their realities and they are judging those based upon behaviors. And that perception and that reality will drive their actions and their decision making. And that can make the difference between being in the mail room and I'm figuratively speaking that or elevating yourself up to the boardroom. So self-awareness really does make a difference.
Lillian Davenport
Number two, develop and mine your connections. Cultivating business relationships is like the oil that runs through an engine. You need to have that oil in order to make that engine run very well. And that's the same thing that connections do for us. These last couple of years, it's been really hard for us to build relationships, sustain relationships, but it is very much worth the effort.
So there are some things that we can do, even with our connections. Right now, I invite you to survey your connections. Who are you connected with? Who's in your network? Who do you want to connect with that maybe is not within your network right now, but you really would like to get to know them more in the future?
And who do you want to release from your network, from your connections? Sometimes connections come to pass, not to last. So we know that it's okay to release those. And then I invite you to strategize how you strengthen those connections? Do you need to make a phone call? If you're an introvert like me, I may not want to make that phone call, but force yourself to make that quick call. Or to do a text or to do an email, send an article, do something. Make it important to you. Put it on your calendar.
The One Problem with Leadership and Career Strategist, Lillian Davenport
And then sustain your connections because you want it not to be a one and done thing. The third thing, engage and be engaged with your connections. So what does that mean? Invite your connections to the dance. And then invite them to actually get on the dance floor. As women, we can be very reserved and we don't like to ask for support. And so I encourage you to do just the opposite. Don't hesitate to ask for support. Even when you ask for that support, it doesn't mean that you don't know what you're doing or you're incompetent. Or somebody is going to find out you don't really know your stuff.
Lillian Davenport
Yes, you do. Be confident that you know your stuff and engage others to help you. And then conversely to that, be interested in what others are doing within your network as well. Figure out where their interests are, where there is an overlap there, and join them in the work that they're doing. So be curious and connect with them, engage them in what you're doing and then become engaged in what others are doing within your network.
So if I had to wrap this three-step approach in an acrostic. My solution would be As – an acrostic of ACE. The A is awareness, heighten your self-awareness, know what you think from your perspective, what others see, and begin to self-manage, proactively self-managed. The C would be connections. We were not designed to be islands, so we want to have those connections. And then the E is engagement and engaging others in what we are doing and becoming engaged in what others are doing as well.
So bring some ACE into your presence and how you are showing up for more support. Always feel free to reach out to me at EndViewSolutions.com. That is endviewsolutions.com. I'm Lillian Davenport, and I am your leadership and career strategist.
Back to you, Avil.
Avil Beckford
So this has been really good. And I like that you started the conversation with awareness because it's all a part of being emotionally intelligent.
Lillian Davenport
Yes.
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