avatarLucia Landini

Summary

The article discusses the importance of powerful women supporting each other and focusing on significant tasks rather than wasting time on trivial matters, as illustrated by an anecdote involving three managers.

Abstract

On International Women's Day, the author reflects on a personal experience where three female managers in a company spent time rearranging chairs for a meeting, each trying to assert their decision-making power. The author suggests that while attention to detail is valuable, it should not overshadow more important responsibilities. The article emphasizes the need for women in leadership roles to trust in their capabilities, respect each other's time, and foster a collaborative environment. It also touches on the challenges women face in reaching management positions and the importance of mutual support among women in the workplace.

Opinions

  • The author believes that the time spent by the managers on rearranging chairs was a waste of their valuable work time and an unnecessary interference with another's job.
  • The managers may have been attempting to demonstrate their importance and decision-making abilities through their involvement in a minor task.
  • There is a call for women in key roles to enjoy their positions and to respect themselves and their peers by not getting involved in trivial matters.
  • The article advocates for cooperation and kindness among women, especially when others are successful or hold important positions.
  • The author reflects on the complexity of women's journeys to success and the need for women to believe in their own strengths beyond just proving themselves to others.
  • The author wishes for a shift in behavior where women in leadership can let go of the need to control every detail and instead focus on the bigger picture and support one another.

Why Powerful Women Need To Help Each Other, And Avoid Wasting Time

It’s International Women’s Day

Photo by Laura Fuhrman on Unsplash

Last week, I had a funny experience with three women in key management roles in a company.

I was organizing a meeting in the office, and I realized there were not enough chairs for the attendees. I went to another room, got them and I thought it was ok. A boss walked by. She decided she could add her personal touch and opinion by putting, or better, asking a colleague to put all chairs near the windows.

A second boss found out that the first one had moved the chairs, so she went to the meeting room and asked to have all chairs divided in two groups, the wooden chairs on one side, and the colored plastic chairs on the other side.

Somehow, the third boss heard about this story and asked to put all chairs in small groups, wooden and colored together. She even complained that the other two had given their opinion.

Where did they find the time to take care of the chairs? I don’t know.

Maybe, they were showing that despite their role they could take care of small things, and that they are still humble persons. Yet, we all thought they were trying to show their ability in making decisions and the importance of their role to the other bosses. They were wasting their valuable and expensive working time interfering with somebody else’s job.

I think that care for details is very important, but it should be put aside when there is a greater plan and a bigger work to do. We all know that too many persons involved in an easy task can make it complicated.

I wish all women in key roles could let go and learn how to enjoy their job. We know how hard it is for a woman to climb the ladder of success and get to a management role in a company. It is sometimes more complicated to believe in our own strengths, than to show them to the others.

But please, respect yourself and all other women who are busy with their career, and let go. We need to be nicer and cooperate with each other, which seems to be easy when the others seem to be weak or struggling, but more difficult if they have an important role in a company.

This was a completely different post I wrote about International Women’s Day 2019, when we were living in a completely different world.

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Women In Business
Leadership Skills
This Happened To Me
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