They say that people who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones. Probably wise advice.
However, I think women in business should definitely throw stones, to break that ever-present glass ceiling that hangs just above our heads.
I will temper that slightly as I'm not advocating violence or a bra-burning feminist. The 'stones' I am referring to are words - subtle stones that cause ripples in the water of business; that allow us to move about life and work with grace, compassion, style and in a way that displays inner strength and confidence, that comes from simply knowing that you can.
There's no greater feeling that that. Knowing something about yourself that others don't, having a secret arsenal of tools you can use, no matter what gets thrown your way. Some people will go out of their way to keep you at your level, in your place. Generally those people don't know you very well because they haven't taken the time to get to know the person behind the hair, lipstick and heels. This apathy is born out of fear and feeling threatened and I feel really sorry for people like that as they miss out on meeting and knowing some amazing women. I do love "wowing" those people though, showing them I am capable and so much more than brown hair, brown eyes and relatively good legs.
So, what's my secret tool? Well, it's my voice and ability to communicate and connect.
I found out at an early age that my voice was a great asset. I may not have been the slimmest or prettiest at school but I could 'perform' when needed, I had a vocabulary wide enough to get me out of trouble with teachers and I had a confidence that was just the right side of cocky. I thank my Mum for this gift. She enrolled me in Speech & Drama lessons at the tender age of 4yrs old. At that age it was fun, a new way of being in the spotlight which all 4yrs olds love. As I got older, I started to love the challenge of learning something new and the recognition I received when I did something well. I had a skill, I was actually quite good at something which was important to me considering I was fairly bad academically. Having said that, not everyone knew I did Speech & Drama as there was a still a part of being able to understand Shakespeare that wasn't cool!
So, I learnt from an early age that having a powerful voice and the confidence to use it was beneficial. I got the big parts in school plays, the cool boys knew who I was and it gave me a boost that people envied me, that the cool girls in school wanted what I had but could never get. As I matured and started work, I learnt the benefit of being able to share this skill with other people. It wasn't just a way to get the boys, it was a real business skill that a lot of people had trouble with. I now love the opportunity of working with people and helping them overcome the challenges and unleash the voice within. It's what I've built my business on.
So, back to the original point - how to break that glass ceiling? Well, use your words and voice in a way that wows and impresses. You could use what God gave you and sleep your way there - but quite frankly, it's so much easier and far less messy to just talk your way to the top!
You need performance and a track record to back up what you're saying and you need to walk the talk. If you have those things in place and then learn to love your voice and how to use it with the greatest impact you will crack that glass ceiling and get the seat at the Board Room table you know you deserve.
