Harnessing collective power: How helping other women can help your career

Some things just work better together. Like champagne and strawberries. They’re delicious on their own, but together they bring so much more to the table than the sum of their individual parts.

It turns out we, as women in business, are much the same.

Whether we’re entrepreneurs running our own business or working in a corporate environment with visions of career advancement – studies continue to show that when we work together, we are far more likely to succeed than if we go it on our own.

In her Forbes article covering this very topic, founder and CEO of The Female Quotient Shelley Zalis notes that for a woman to succeed in the workplace, she first has to overcome the mountain of cultural and systemic hurdles that stand in her way. We are much more likely to overcome these hurdles and go on to win positions with greater authority and higher salaries if we do it together.

Collaboration over competition

As women in business, we thrive when we work together and support one another. 

Empower other women by helping them be the best versions of themselves. Inspire and nurture them and know that in return they will do the same for you and/or pay it forward. When we have a community of cheerleaders and supporters around us, we are far more likely to succeed.

Connections are key

Building and sustaining intentional connections with other people is one of the best things you can do for your business or career. Joining networking programs like Behind Closed Doors, becoming a member of your industry organisation, and attending networking events are ways to build connections and establish relationships. And when I say networking, I’m not talking about the old approach of handing over a business card and being done with someone – that’s not what we’re about. It truly is about building genuine relationships with others and when networking with women, it’s building life-long friendships. Relationships that mutually nurture your careers, that add real value to your life and to the lives of the women you’re connecting with.

Keep learning and inspiring

Life is a continual journey of learning, developing, and stretching. Whether you attend courses, learn and implement new technologies, or engage a mentor, the more you challenge yourself and go outside of your comfort zone, the more you will grow and succeed. However, you shouldn’t stop there. Share your lessons with other women and inspire them to continue their learning journey. Build a collaborative knowledge library together so you can all start to bridge your gaps, strengthen your weaknesses, and develop your skills. By collaborating with other women, you will all achieve more and prosper together.

When we share knowledge, support one another, and have each other’s backs, we build powerful relationships that benefit every woman involved. Harnessing the power of the collective, adds tremendous value to our working lives and, as studies continue to show, is key to our success.

If you’re looking for a peer coaching, mentoring and networking community to help you harness the collective power of women, contact us for practical and valuable experiences and professional development, to help build your career success.

Written by Donny Walford, Managing Director, behind closed doors