It’s a Man’s, Man’s, Man’s, World…or Is It?

As I read Emily Bennington’s Who Says It’s a Man’s World: The Girls’ Guide to Corporate Domination, I made constant notes while absorbing all of the tips she lay out throughout the book. Bennington has something for everyone, touching on topics such as self-awareness, social skills, personal effectiveness, team development, leadership and a practical toolbox for women (and men who support their efforts).

 As a strong believer in Emotional intelligence (EQ) being the number one predictor of a successful leader, I appreciated the way Emily Bennington started with the basics of EQ to help female leaders move toward personal effectiveness. Though women often pride themselves on their social skills and self awareness, Bennington shed new light on ways we as women can improve and be impactful through these characteristics, whether we do or don’t currently have them. Finding success, Bennington says, is done by knowing and understanding who it is you want to be versus what you want to achieve.

Now that we are fully embedded in a collaborative, 2.0 world, Bennington moves readers flawlessly from personal effectiveness to team effectiveness, emphasizing team development and leadership. Bennington shows her candid, honest flair in “Seven Ways to Royally Screw Up Your Reputation”, with my personal favorites being:

1. Make stupid excuses such as “But no one told me….but no one got back to me.” Her simple remedy for this? Ask clarifying questions up front and check-in questions along the way to avoid perception gaps.

2. Missing deadlines. Be the person who gets the work done before the boss or client asks for it.

3. Poor meeting prep.  Quit sending review docs and slide decks 2 minutes before the meeting. See #2!

4. Being tit-for-tat on time and money. You have to give to get if you want to advance in your career. Think about the team and the organization’s needs, as well as your own.

5. Unresponsiveness. I know we all have hundreds of emails in our in-box. Yet, not responding only makes the sender wonder if the email was received. Even replying with “I got your email and will reply by XX date” is better than silence.

6. Being the center of your own jokes. Many people think that self-deprecating jokes disarm people and relax the team. It’s just the opposite. Yes, humor can relax people; making fun of yourself just makes you look small and turns you into the office punching bag.

7. Missing the small stuff. The devil is in the details. Even if attention to detail is not your strength, ask a colleague who does have that strength to double-check the details for you.

This book is a must-read for females at all career levels, both in the corporate world and the non-corporate world. If nothing else, read pages 116-128, How To Handle: Tricky Situations @ Work. This section alone is worth it!

Tell me, does it seem like a “man’s world” in your office? I want to hear from you, so leave me a comment below, send me a tweet or reach me by email.