6 Ways to Be a Better Advocate for Your Sisters #InternationalWomensDay

Being an advocate for women is even sweeter on a day like today.

It’s great to honor women past and present for what they do or have done, but what will you do to advocate for your sisters today?

I’ve written extensively about how women can and do play into the male power center by othering one another.

Here are 6 ways that you can ensure that you are advocating and not adding to women’s struggles in the workplace:

✅ Get in formation and speak up: if you see something, say something in meetings and other spaces where women’s ideas are stepped on or work-jacked.

✅ If you are a woman in senior leadership, don’t just take on mentees to stroke your own ego. Share information they can really use to climb even higher and faster than you did.

RELATED: The road less traveled has requirements.

✅White women, get to know women of color outside your workplace so that you can empathize and advocate for those inside your workplace. Make it a point to up your CQ so that you can be an ally in action and not simply words.

✅ Resist the bandwagon. When someone in the workplace begins to question, malign or engage in character assassination with a fellow coworker, ask a powerful question to get them to explain why with facts to back it. Most times, you will find that they won’t have much to say. But whatever you do, don’t join in.

RELATED: 5 Ways to Boss Up Your Career with These Career-Coaching Tips

✅ Be a sponsor. Sponsorship isn’t only for people with a certain title. You can sponsor someone by advocating for them when they do a good job. Let their bosses know in writing. Shout them out with leaders you have access to that they don’t.

✅ Be a Queen, not a Queen Bee. If you aren’t making eye contact and speaking to people in your halls, virtual or not, if you aren’t responding to texts, DMs or emails because you’ve “ascended,” to new heights…you are Miranda Priestly, and that is not a good look. Responding, saying hello and asking about someone’s day goes a lot further than you might think, and it does wonders for your personal brand. You are not special because you hold a title. We are all special because we are daughters of God.

Get over yourself.

Now, what action will you take? How can you improve?

Download a FREE infographic to keep you on plan.   Just click on the graphic.

Happy #InternationalWomensDay!! #ChooseToChallenge

See you online!

LMS