A Business Woman Can Be Careful Without Losing Her Authority

(Listen to it here.)

Be sure to visit our site, www.WomensMedia.com to get Expert Advice for Women in Business.

I’m sure every woman has noticed this here and there at work:  A smart woman deferring to a man who is not entirely correct—and she knows it—and he doesn’t—but he’s speaking with confidence and a loud voice. It always makes me wonder why she’s deferring to him by not speaking up.

My Women in Business Tip of the Week teaches you how to show authority with men, without ruffling any feathers.

Listen to today’s podcast here.

In another podcast, you may want to listen to How To Manage Your Project —Organize A Project With Five Easy Steps

Or on our website, WomensMedia, you may want to read 8 Tips for Fearless Communication in the Workplace

A Good Leader Learns How To Give Criticism To Her Team

(Listen to it here.)

Be sure to visit our site, www.WomensMedia.com to get Expert Advice for Women in Business.

Beware of some advice. Many people will tell you to deliver a criticism in Sandwich Style. That’s the: Start with a compliment, give the criticism, end with a compliment. I say, “Wait a minute, that may not be a great idea for many women, especially for a woman who’s dreading delivering a criticism.” She may be so uncomfortable with the situation that she lays on the top slice, the beginning positive comment, so heavy it’s like a piece of bread overslathered with mayo, it grabs your attention.

(Listen to this post here.)

Listen to How To Get Motivated

Listen to Salary Negotiation: How To Ask For A Raise

How To Change “I Speak Like A Girl” to “I Know What I’m Talking About”

(Listen to it here.)

Be sure to visit our site, www.WomensMedia.com to get Expert Advice for Working Women.

Perhaps you’re that rare woman who proved immune to the nature-nurture pressures to Speak Like A Girl. Chances are you succumbed and now are realizing how much you want to pull yourself up to the I Know What I’m Talking About status. These pressures show up in a variety of communication differences between men and women. Deborah Tannen in You Don’t Understand explains that men use “report talk” to give information that enhances their power while women tend to use “rapport talk” to give information that helps build relationships. Women usually come out ahead in relationship-building communication—and that’s okay. What’s not okay is how we lose out sounding like a leader or an expert. We’re giving away our power in business. Take these steps to let others know: I Know What I’m Talking About.

 

 Powerful Communication For Women [5:44m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Don’t Wait! Be A Smart Woman And Interrupt.

(Listen to it here.)

Be sure to visit our site, www.WomensMedia.com to get Expert Advice for Working Women.

You may also be interested in:  When Men Won’t Listen To You —You Have To Resort To Trickery.

Are you waiting for a lull in the conversation so you won’t seem rude? I bet that little voice in the back of your head is repeating, “Nice girls don’t interrupt! Wait your turn.” Don’t do that—you’ll miss the ideal time to make your point. You’ve probably noticed men interrupt each other all the time. And have you noticed they interrupt women even more often? Well it’s true.

 

 Smart Women Interrupt When They Need To [3:48m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Use Confident Language That Says, “I Can Do It!”

(Listen to it here.)

Be sure to visit our site, www.WomensMedia.com to get Expert Advice for Working Women.

The “impostor syndrome” is more prevalent among women than men. You know, it’s that nagging feeling that any minute people will discover that you’re not up to a task. Relax, most of us feel that way when we accept a challenge—even a small one.

If you’re a woman, you know how often this self-doubt occupies your mind. It occupies a man’s mind too, but to a lesser extent. And, here’s the important fact, men don’t voice this OUT LOUD. You know what a man says when faced with self-doubt:  Of course, I can do it!

Now, the first tip for you is to stop vocalizing your self-doubt. The second tip is to substitute strong words for your weak vocabulary whenever you feel doubt creeping up.

 

 Be Confident, Cover Your Self-Doubt [4:40m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

You Have To Resort To Trickery

(Listen to it here.)

Be sure to visit our site, www.WomensMedia.com to get Expert Advice for Working Women.

There are a few things that all women seem to notice and all men don’t see at all. Alright, alright, I know I can’t say “all.” But it’s pretty nearly “all” whenever I speak to a large group of men and women and I ask this question: “Raise your hand if you’ve been in a meeting when a woman made a suggestion and no one seemed to notice?” Pretty nearly every woman will raise her hand and sadly nod her head—meaning it was her—and the men will be dumbfounded that this is the situation. Honestly women, we can’t blame the men, because they aren’t even aware of this behavior.

Assertive, Not Aggressive, Works Best For Women

(Listen to it here.)

Be sure to visit our site, www.WomensMedia.com to get Expert Advice for Working Women.

Women know how important communication is—and sometimes just knowing that causes a problem. Let’s say you’re anxious about talking with someone under your supervision. He, or she, is not doing the job as you’d like. You need to point out the problems, but you’re worried about coming on too strong—too aggressive, and you’re worried about the employee’s reaction. In a effort to minimize repercussions, we often add a few sentences here . . . and a few sentences there . . . and pretty soon, the message is lost.

 

 Communicate Without Losing Your Authority [5:07m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Why Did He Take That The Wrong Way?

(Listen to it here.)

Be sure to visit our site, www.WomensMedia.com to get Expert Advice for Working Women.

In my podcast, Gender Communication: Nature Or Nurture? I talk about how societal pressures form quite a bit of our gender communication differences. Besides that “quite a bit” is what most mothers have observed: Little boys want to play with other little boys and they want to play differently from girls. This sets up the change in how boys and girls talk at an early age—and they diverge further from that point.

 

 Gender Communication Differences: Looking Through The Male Lens [5:49m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

How To Promote Yourself Without Bragging

(Listen to it here.)

Be sure to visit our site, www.WomensMedia.com to get Expert Advice for Working Women.

A lot of men can get away with bragging but we women can’t. We must walk a fine line between informative self-promotion and outright bragging. Most of us have been raised on the little girl admonitions, “It’s not nice to brag!” and “Who does she think she is?”  As long as these sayings are still playing in your mental background, you’ll feel uncomfortable when you know you’re bragging. And when you’re uncomfortable, other people focus on your discomfort. You don’t want that! The secret I can tell you is how to promote yourself just short of bragging. And that’s something you probably do want.

 

 How To Promote Yourself Without Bragging [5:33m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Catfighting:  Learn To Handle Indirect Aggression At Work

(Listen to it here.)

Be sure to visit our site, www.WomensMedia.com to get Expert Advice for Working Women.

How widespread is this catfight problem? A recent study by the American Management Association found that 95% of the women felt other women had undermined them at some time in their career. It’s important to learn why this happens and how we can handle it!