How Women Are Redefining

The Workplace

At an early age, I can recall my Sicilian father drilling down the importance of being self-sufficient in life and how earning my own income would provide freedom and choices. When I entered the workforce 25 years ago, I was naïve and surprised to see mostly women in operational roles while almost all management consisted of men in suits. Watching the trends shift and watching women rise to the top has been fascinating. According to Leanin.org, their women in the workplace study recently reported women make up 48 percent of the workplace. It’s no secret that women continue taking large leaps to redefine and advocate for their roles in the workplace. While I examine my own sales team, what used to be 93 percent male and 7 percent female, today consists of 65 percent female and 45 percent male.

Success-minded women share similar traits. These are my top five favorites:

ONE - The ability to determine what success means and to go after it on your own terms.

Trying to do it all and measuring your ability is a setup for failure. I have watched many women rise to the top on their terms, recognizing the importance of not taking opinion polls. Successful women refuse to maintain this perfectionistic mindset and have pushed through those barriers, especially over the last decade.

TWO - Mastering delegation is critical. I came to this realization quite early in my career. One month into maternity leave, it became apparent I would not meet professional goals nor would I feel fulfilled at home if I didn’t learn to delegate. Appropriate support at home was key so the hours I worked were intentional and efficient. I created a budget for an in-home nanny and hired a house cleaner. I did not have the money to fund either but sacrificed in other ways until I accomplished critical fiscal milestones. None of this would have been possible without being realistic about what I could accomplish in a day and my desire to perform at the top of my game, whether it was at work or home.

THREE - We have a voice, and we are using it! Put yourself out there and fake it until you make it. This is advice I give the young women I currently mentor. Success-minded women will tell you they do not always feel comfortable speaking up; however, the practice of doing it through trial and error results in building confidence. It is the sheer ability to embrace the fear and put yourself out there that eventually lands you on your feet. If you don’t go after what you want, you will never have it. It is up to you to seek opportunities, and you do not gain what you don’t ask for in life.

FOUR - Knowledge is power! There is a direct correlation showing education is related to income. Women are more likely to seek advancement through education and sharpening skills if it means re-positioning themselves for a promotion or pay increase. According to a recent study by Forbes, 50.2 percent of the college-educated workforce are women. Education has played a large role in helping women break through barriers, and we certainly seized the opportunity.

FIVE - The happiness factor. High-achieving women are less likely to remain complacent or tolerate an unhappy employment situation and will often seek immediate solutions. We are not afraid to make job changes if the opportunity within does not provide acceptable results. One study reported that 75 percent of women love their jobs, supporting my point. Today’s powerhouse women leaders want more opportunities to advance and demand a more supportive and inclusive work culture. Although women have had major breakthroughs over the last few centuries, we still have important hurdles to overcome. We are bridging the gap in many instances as we strive for equality and diversity in senior roles or correcting the gender wage gap, which has been a long-term struggle. We are grateful to the brave women who have come before us to alter standards over time. We applaud the young women who are rising to the top, using their minds and voices to make a difference for future generations. At 20/20 Vision and specifically Women With Vision, we are surrounded by women who encompass all five traits and beyond, working together to pave a better path for all women.