Tips for Female Leaders in a Male-Dominated Industry
It’s unfortunate that we still view certain jobs as only for men and others as only for women. At this point in time, we shouldn’t discriminate people anymore based on their gender. Everyone should have an equal chance at a job in any industry. The sad truth is that there are still industries that are male-dominated. If you’re a woman and you made your way to the top, you have to prove your worth. Again, it’s unfortunate that women are under immense pressure to prove themselves if they’re in a male-dominated industry. These tips will help you make everyone forget that you’re a woman and just see you as a boss.
Make your voice heard
You have a seat at the table. Use it wisely. Don’t let anyone shut you down. If you have ideas, make sure everyone listens to you. Provide strong reasons when you pitch ideas. Research about them well and use facts to prove your points. It’s more challenging to disprove you if facts are on your side. No one would dare say that you have fringe ideas that aren’t worth listening to.
Don’t be afraid to command people
Make leaders tend to be very dominant. If they want to get something done, they’re quite aggressive. You should do the same. Don’t allow people to view you as a weak leader who doesn’t have a strong command of the employees. People might call you names because of your strong personality, but it shouldn’t matter. Men who act the same way are held to a different standard, and it’s unfair. As long as you’re fair in treating your employees, there’s nothing to be afraid of.
Be compassionate
Although it’s not good to make generalizations based on gender, some of these stereotypes seem positive. For instance, women are viewed as more compassionate than men. Use it to your advantage. Win people over with your compassion. When you work in an industry where numbers matter, you should have more people liking you. If there’s a time when you would need them to vote in favor of your ideas, you can use your wonderful personal relationship to your advantage. However, you should still prove that your ideas are worth voting for, more than anything else.
Be upfront
When male leaders bully you or make you feel worthless, you should be upfront. Let them know that you’re unhappy with how you’re being treated. However, you should do it in a more commanding way. Speak like a boss when channeling your anger and don’t act like you’re a victim. It’s easier to earn people’s respect if you talk to them directly and be more honest with how you feel.
Everyday is a challenge when you’re in a male-dominated industry. However, you can’t let anything pull you down. You worked hard to be where you are now, and you deserve it. Don’t lose hope even if you’re confronted with challenges all the time.
Photo Attribution:
1st and featured image from https://100women.ng/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/photo-1496180470114-6ef490f3ff22.jpg
2nd image from https://www.leadertoleader.org/5-tips-on-becoming-a-successful-female-entrepreneur/
