Before going deep into the problems for working women, I would like to introduce Kathy Caprino. She is a career and leadership coach, author, speaker, and educator who is passionate about women’s success in the workplace. In her career counseling company, Kathy Caprino, LLC (formerly Ellia Communications, Inc.), she has a lot of programs and training that can help women go deeper and find their true passions. They can also brighten the world with what they do.
“Become the most powerful version of yourself—then illuminate the world with it.” -Kathy Caprino
To tell a bit about her past life, she worked as a corporate marketing executive for 18 years, rising through the ranks of publishing, marketing, and product management. At first, it was exciting and fulfilling, and she enjoyed it. However, when she approached 40, things began to shift.
From the outside, she appeared to be very successful, but on the inside, she struggled. As her work started to feel fake and not real, work-life balance and well-being became more and more difficult.
Later in her life, being moved by the 9/11 attack, she made up her mind to “help people, not hurt people and be hurt,” as she had been faced in her previous corporate job. She pursued her post-graduate in Marriage and Family Therapy. She became a therapist and a career and leadership trainer and advisor after training many people as a coach.
Now, her primary goal is to assist in finding a bold movement that enables professionals around the world, both men and women, to reach their most exciting potential. She also writes for LinkedIn, Thrive Global, and her site, kathycaprino.com/blog, in addition to Forbes. If you read the news, you’ll see that she talks about careers, leadership, personal development, and women’s problems.
This article includes her advice to professionals who, later in their career, realize that though they’re running a business, they haven’t reached their ultimate business goal. Kathy refers to these challenges as ‘power gaps.’ And after helping thousands of professionals from 26 countries across six continents, she has come up with this great solution. She discusses the seven damaging power gaps that affect most female entrepreneurs.
What Is Power and Why Do We Need It?
In business, obviously, “power” or “leadership” doesn’t mean that you have to be a person like Hitler: abusive, hurtful, and aggressive. You have enough bravery to figure out and confront the actions that are letting your business down; it’s just that you are ready to take responsibility for it and turn it towards success.
Yes, it is not power over someone or something, rather, it’s the power to do something, to make an impact, to change lives.
And, even if in your wildest nightmare you think, “Why the hell do you need it?” here’s the answer:
- Power gives the ability to accomplish, create, and manifest.
- It provides strength to become a force for good.
- To have an impact and make a difference,
- It enables you to have the authority to lead and work as you wish.
- It boosts your self-confidence to share your ideas and visions.
The 7 Problems for Working Women That Keep Them From Thriving In Their Lives and Work
As Kathy puts it, seven damaging power gaps are gaps that hold you back from reaching your highest and most thrilling potential and impact your work, career, relationship, and personal life. You can think of these leaks as holes that drain your energy, excitement, confidence, self-esteem, self-love, and power.
Kathy has worked with thousands of professionals and conducted a survey of 1,200+ people that reveals that 98% of women professionals experience at least one of these seven damaging power gaps. At the same time, for men, the number is 90%. And 75% of professionals experience three of these power gaps. The gap that people share the most is gap 6: Losing Sight of Your Thrilling Dream.
After knowing so many facts about the gaps, you must be wondering what the gaps are. So, let’s get straight into those seven damaging power gaps.
Not Recognizing Your Special Talents, Abilities, and Accomplishments
Since Kathy has been guiding people for more than a decade, she has noticed one common problem in most professionals. When asked about their exceptional power, skill, talent, or ability, more than 90% of professionals could not answer that.
In addition, Kathy also asked them to answer one more question: How are they different from others in their area of expertise? In response, she said that people couldn’t figure out the answer to the question above.
Kathy believes that we can’t wholly harness or efficiently market our exceptional qualities and talents if we can’t name them. As a consequence, we won’t be happy at work. We need to be brave enough to tell the world about our special power.
Fear prevents us from leveraging what we already know, what motivates us, and what we believe in. As a result, find your unique place in the world first to eliminate one of the biggest roadblocks to success.
Communicating From Fear, Not Strength
Have you ever felt a lack of confidence or authority when speaking? Both men and women have a hard time saying what they can do and what they need clearly and concisely.
Many leaders struggle to strike the right mix between modesty and confidence. We’re afraid that people would assume we’re solely responsible for projects we’ve managed or funded. We must learn how to stand up for ourselves and speak out with strength instead of fear.
This second gap among the other 7 damaging power gaps makes it difficult for you to speak confidently about your accomplishments and successes. It stops executives from having real chances to find new business, influence their teams, or just grow.
If you closely observe your top competitors, you may notice that they do not communicate scarily. They always speak passionately and forcefully about their achievements and future goals. It’s good to gather power from the inside and to be inspired by the words of others.
Reluctance to Demand What You Are Due
The majority of the people she works with are puzzled as to how to request a raise or job advancement or even how to figure out what they should be asking for in the first place.
And, no matter how much they’ve accomplished, many people feel unsure whether they deserve to be rewarded and recognized for their efforts through more excellent pay and promotions.
According to a fascinating survey, 57 percent of males who graduated with an MBA degree negotiated their first job after graduation, whereas only 7 percent of women did so. This results in compensation disparities from the start of their careers.
You’ll quickly fall behind your competitors and colleagues if you don’t believe in your worth, know how to ask for what you deserve, or construct a solid case for it. You’ll have to work years longer than they do to catch up.
Isolating Oneself from Powerful Support
Kathy began counting the number of introverts that approached her about joining a career coaching program or course. More than 90% of her customers and course participants identified themselves as ‘introverted’ and discussed how their managers and coworkers do not understand their nature within one year. They also believed that their introversion had hampered their networking and ability to grow their circle of influence and connections.
Many introverted and extroverted professionals despise networking and believe it to be fake and unnatural. She learned (after quitting her previous corporate job) that she disliked networking since she didn’t like the work she was doing or the people she was working with. When you despise what you do, it’s difficult to network effectively.
You’ll significantly limit your access to intriguing new chances and jobs if you don’t develop a strong support community that can help you improve and if you don’t increase your network of previous and current colleagues. As a result, you’ll need to select at least one component of your work that you’re thrilled to discuss.
Acquiescing Instead of Saying “STOP!”
Kathy also wrote about her experiences with “unethical” or plain unfair behavior. It is widely acknowledged that we have all experienced something unsettling that made us feel unsafe and afraid. Many people, when asked anonymously, confess to having seen such behavior at work at least once.
As a leader, you’ve undoubtedly witnessed power imbalances, difficult circumstances, and restless nights. Always remember to react to such behaviors instead of ignoring them.
If you remain silent, afraid, and impotent in the face of unethical conditions—whether they affect you or others—things will worsen, and you will feel like an accomplice to a crime.
Losing Sight of Your Thrilling Dream
Among the seven damaging power gaps, this gap is experienced the most. Many people are unable to articulate their desires. This difficulty will keep you stuck in a lousy job or scenario. You won’t have the courage or power to make the required changes to leave this horrible situation behind if you can’t identify what you want or if you’ve lost track of a goal or ambition that used to fascinate you.
If you don’t say what you want to do or what your most important long-term goal is, and you don’t like the results, it’s important to think about a positive vision for the future.
However, there is a method: you must reconsider your ambition. Make a concerted effort to discover the strength to alter your mindset. It’s difficult to stay focused on your goals and dreams. On the path of leading and growing, do your best to maintain a professional demeanor.
It entails taking the “finding brave” way to figure out what you want to achieve and breaking it down into manageable, digestible steps so you can explore and test out that new approach without risking everything.
Allowing Past Trauma To Define You
This last power gap is severe, preventing many professionals from progressing to a happy life. They’ve been shattered by what has occurred to them in the past and cannot move on.
Dealing with a toxic or narcissistic boss who has shattered their self-esteem, or getting fired or laid off in a way that makes them question everything they’ve ever been or done, are examples of this. It also includes people feeling humiliated and insecure after failing at a project or activity.
After having the internal strength, nothing will be able to stop you. When you see your setbacks as opportunities to improve your powers and vision, your power and vision will grow.
These were the 7 damaging power gaps that affect professionals. Now, let’s see how one can overcome these.
7 Brave Pathways To Career Bliss That Will Help You Close The Damaging Power Gaps
Why do so many people struggle to make the changes they long for? Because the insight isn’t enough. It’s a brave, empowered action that changes our lives. Commitment and consistency are key.
These seven brave pathways will help you gain more power, confidence, and communication strength.
Brave Sight
We all go through periods when we are discouraged and low. If there is no one else to lift our spirits, the situation will deteriorate. During these times, remember that you have tremendous abilities, and if you acknowledge them, you will be able to regain control of your life.
It’s essential to recognize your talent, as most people don’t. You can go through this video to get more insight into it.
Brave Speak
One of the most frequent fears is speaking in front of a group. However, in the corporate sector, this anxiety is very damaging. You have suggestions, feedback, or questions, all of which must be addressed if the project is to run well.
But you can’t because of fear! Let go of the fear of being an obstacle in your entrepreneurial journey.
Brave Ask
People who are reluctant to ask or negotiate can not prosper in business or careers compared to others. Learning a solid set of bargaining strategies can pay off handsomely throughout your entire life. Great negotiation skills can be one of a person’s most valued qualities.
Brave Connection
Networking is a beautiful approach to developing your career because you contact a professional who may know a job that a recruiter has yet to disclose on various job boards. The more you interact with other people, the more your self-confidence and social skills will grow.
It entails interacting with people from similar professional and social circles to form mutually beneficial relationships. The most beneficial networking tips include being mindful of your body language, establishing a safety net, and asking open-ended questions.
Brave Challenge
On your journey, you will face challenges, and you have to take steps against them. Thousands of women and men (and particularly younger people) are acquiescing instead of saying “STOP!” to mistreatment, discrimination, gender bias, and stereotyping. Take a stand for yourself and decide how you will address it.
Brave Service
If you want to achieve something, don’t wait. Don’t put it off any longer if you’re going to be a writer. You just started writing a blog or article. And eventually, you become a writer. That is it. Do not wait for the perfect time. Just start taking action.
Brave Healing
The person you are reflects what your childhood and past have taught you to be (if you have not unlearned it and healed it). What messages and coping strategies did you learn that are no longer serving you?
You were suppressed, manipulated, or narcissistic; did that push you “underground”?”
It is essential to address what needs to be healed, or the wound will continue.
These seven tips effectively close the seven damaging power gaps discussed above. Learn more about them through this video:
Conclusion
Review the 7 damaging power gaps above and choose the one that causes you the most sorrow and humiliation if any of them resonates with you. So, today, start taking small, easy-to-do steps to close that gap so it’s no longer hidden, uncomfortable, or embarrassing.
Face it head-on, get support to be accountable, and take steps that will help you ultimately understand and exploit your unique talents and abilities and feel more confident in everything that you are and have to offer.
Have your say in the comment section, and let us know how this article has helped you identify and close your power gaps.
Meanwhile, you can also join our Internet Moguls Of The World School, where we help you to set yourself up for success, learn the key digital business concepts to thrive, and build an online business so that you can have more time for your family, more peace, and more financial freedom.
