Leadership Lessons For Women In Business

Less is More

When speaking with others, I have found that getting to the point and then pausing to let others take in your message can be one of the most effective communication strategies. Along the same lines, when meeting with others, be a good listener. Rather than dominating the conversation, hear what your team is thinking. Throughout my career, I’ve kept a journal and taken notes continually.

When you step into a room, you can find ways to subtly let others know what you can bring to the table. I like to say, “toot your own horn; do not blow your own horn.” When issues arise, you can show empathy rather than sympathy (and make sure you know the difference!).

Surround Yourself with Strength

As you take on leadership roles, invest the time in hiring a great team and empowering them. Avoid micromanaging; instead, delegate tasks, show confidence in others, and encourage them to do their best. At the same time, inspect what you expect on a daily basis, as it helps others recognize that there will be checks and balances for the result.

When you’re in the office, keep your door open (and when working remotely, respond promptly to communication). This shows others that you’re available and ready to help as needed. One word of caution here: don’t get too close to employees and don’t misunderstand collaboration for friendship.

Continually Improve

Look for opportunities to gain management skills through coursework, conferences, and reading. To stay ahead of the curve, find successful examples and role models in your industry and learn from them. If there is someone you admire, reach out and ask them for tips and insight. Many successful leaders will happily share input over an in person meeting and request to connect you with others as well.

At every step in your career, make it a point to schedule a meeting once a week to grab coffee or lunch with others in the business world. Find what you have in common and form relationships in which you each win. Some of my favorite moments in my career have come from having mentors and engaging with mentees along the way.

Also set goals for yourself, including daily, monthly, and annual benchmarks. You won’t win them all, but they will help you move toward accomplishing what you ultimately want.

Stay Balanced

Be ready to accept what didn’t work, review as a team, learn in detail why, and be prepared to do better next time.

Given the many demands of leadership, I always recommend taking regular breaks, such as a quarterly getaway and an annual vacation. During this time, step away and show trust in your team, acknowledging that they’ll have the capacity to handle everything while you’re away and that the business will be even better than you left it when you return.

Remember that leadership isn’t for everyone. It requires courage, confidence, collaboration, resilience, humility, and a willingness to roll up your sleeves alongside your team. That said, if you’re willing to embrace that responsibility, you’ll have the opportunity to build strong businesses, develop future leaders, and leave a lasting legacy.