Welcome! Quick fyi: below was submitted as a guest post to Women Grow Business to publish week of 9/13/10.
A colleague and I recently discussed women’s self-promotion styles compared to men. Then Clay Shirky’s blog post “A Rant About Women” came up and his thought provoking remarks on the subject. His comments also sharpened my own reflections that I had resisted admitting (image Golden Reflection, Creative Commons, by Chad Galloway).
I wish Clay Shirky’s rant from earlier this year contradicted my own observations i.e. that women often threaten their own success by failing to promote themselves effectively or by avoiding that axiom “fake it till you make it.” Clay’s post said this ‘fake it till you make it’ trait is one men seem to exercise with ease and that women would do well to exercise more.
I look forward to when he’ll discuss his rant (and the consequences from it) this week at the WomenWhoTech Telesummit.
Owning up to ‘authenticity 2.0′
Even though my observations of women in many cases, especially those here at Women Grow Business, differ from Shirky’s premise – some of them also resonate. I know for sure I could be more diligent at promoting great women (and men too!), at promoting myself, at going after certain speaker submission goals (quick aside – Susan Mernit shared a great, inclusive speaking calendar that’s tech and business centric).
How are your promotion skills (for self, others)? Honestly I’d like to think my strengths are solid yet I can name plenty of instances when I suppressed self-advocacy to avoid criticism or vulnerability – recently.
A woman thing?
It can be said that avoiding vulnerability is ok and human vs just ‘a woman thing’. But could someone (or their magic wand) just share their magical always-a-confident-elegant-self-promoting-dynamo potion? I’m ready to consume…
This isn’t something that’s savory to admit out loud. But if my self-leadership is to further benefit the life it leads and those impacted by it, then I better own up to this ‘authenticity 2.0′ age we live in and admit Clay Shirky’s rant still hits home.
Be more like men?
As he also admitted toward the end of his rant, he doesn’t know the solution. That makes two of us. Should we women assert self-promotion more like men? Should we teach young women those ‘fake it till you make it’ self-promotion mentalities to better land competitive jobs? Clay Shirky thinks so and as of this writing, I give it a strong maybe.
From the vantage point of preserving authenticity, one part of me resists telling us women to model men’s behavior (image Winds of Change by Kharied, Creative Commons):
“Let our true selves ring free! Self-promote as you will (or not).” …says that inner Joan of Arc. Yet it is matched by an inner devil’s advocate that says: “Girl, you’re kiddin’ yourself. You gotta up your game and promote more like a bandit.”
Do your inner Joans of Arc and devilish advocates wrestle with eachother too? It’s unclear what teachable and generational solutions are to what is a very sensitive appraisal of our gender. There are many nuances, variables, and layers to this topic (in and beyond sexism) that Clay and many others have addressed.
How often does this topic come up in your communities?
What’s your perspective? Do you believe it is an over addressed subject or one that could be discussed more openly?
A summarized approach that’s renewing my commitment to diligently self-promote (with ideally some grace too!):
What’s your approach to consistent habits of promotion (for self and others)?
What a great night of ideas.
The ever fun, sassy, successful entrepreneur and business professor Kathy Korman Frey – founder of The Hot Mommas Project – created a chance for a few business owners to speak with her Women in Business Leadership class at George Washington University here in DC…including myself!
Ragingly successful business owner Kassie Rempel of Simply Soles and I formed a mini-panel with Kathy’s class last night; all led to a fantastic conversation with app. 25 students (all from other countries – visiting and studying in the US for the first time).
…and so much more was talked about. Thanks Kathy, Kassie, and the students (aren’t we all students in the end?!) for a dynamic and substantive conversation.
Introductions begin…
Fellow panelist Kassie Remple and her great business know-how
Smart, gutsy students from GWU’s Women in Business Leadership Class
Advisory Board Member 2012
