I saw the headline – “3 Career Lessons That Men Know and Women Don’t” – and I thought, “Only 3?” They’ve had generations of the “old boy’s club” to learn these lessons. We haven’t. But The Daily Muse hit the nail on the head with the three lessons they outlined in their article, and we want to highlight one and tell you why we think it’s plaguing women in business everywhere. It’s about using confident language.
…Male entrepreneurs saunter in, plop a half-written business plan down on the table, and explain to me exactly how they were going to “change the world” or “make a million dollars” or “revolutionize an industry” or [insert audacious claim here]. Without blinking an eye. Meanwhile, many of their female counterparts with equally great (or better!) ideas fell prey to subtly career-sabotaging “nice girl” blunders like over-explaining, apologizing unnecessarily, using minimizing words, being the last to speak, and believing that others know more than they did, just to name a few.
Do you know how many times I’ve heard women start sentences with:
- Now, go with me for a minute here…..
- This might be a bit off track….
- Maybe I’m mistaken, but….
- Is it possible that….
And the list goes on. Right? Men say:
- I know
- I think
- I mean
- Yes
- No
- Absolutely not
It’s all about the words we use. And when you begin a sentence with a qualifier telling the person you’re talking to that you might be wrong, you’re killing your credibility and your confidence at the same time. So go ahead, start a sentence with “I” and be willing to say “Yes” and “No” without hesitation. It’s the lesson we all need to learn to get past the gender gap, so we can learn (and teach) our own lessons.
About the Author: Marcy Twete
Marcy Twete is the Founder and CEO of Career Girl Network and the author of the book “You Know Everybody! A Career Girl’s Guide to Building a Network That Works.” At Career Girl Network, Marcy provides women with information, resources, and networking to empower them in their careers and to advance the work of women in business as a whole. Prior to launching Career Girl Network, Marcy worked in numerous nonprofit organizations and as a consultant in the field of nonprofit fundraising, marketing, and community relations. Marcy is a graduate of the College of St. Benedict in St. Joseph, Minnesota, and a native of rural North Dakota. She is the Vice Chair of the Chicago Board of Directors for Step Up Women’s Network in Chicago and a member of the Advisory Board for Girls on the Run Twin Cities, and is dedicated to advancing the work of organizations that move the needle for women and girls worldwide.
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