Thread by @toyo_c

On this #IWD19, I’d like to share one major experience that shaped my career. It was early in my banking career and I’d been working on a major project which came to a successful end when I was informed that I would be moving to a newly formed team... /1 #InspiringNewDimension

...under the leadership of a female senior colleague who most people had described as cold and hard. So my first thought was fear and trepidation, it turned out to be the turning point of my career, she was a very thorough boss who pushed me beyond limits #inspiringNewDimension

It was the days before all these buzzwords but I suffered from what is now called “impostor-syndrome”, that many women feel. And she reversed this, and continued to give me visibility beyond my peers in other units. We worked very hard and it paid off. #inspiringNewDimension

My two cents today is to highlight the importance of relationships- building and leveraging on them and putting them in the right buckets.

Women are very good at building relationships, but we shy away from leveraging these relationships either from pride or timidity or even not wanting people to think you’re using them. Men don’t have this problem. #inspiringNewDimension
#IWD2019 #Balanceforbetter
@inspiringchang

So, leveraging relationships is key. I read a book called “how women rise” which I found quite instructive. It spoke to habits that hold women back (obviously there will be exceptions). I recommend this book. #inspiringNewDimension
#IWD2019 #Balanceforbetter
@inspiringchang

I have found the following relationships vital to my career success- Allies, Mentors & Sponsors. Whilst it’s great to simply be liked, I spend my energy on relationships with strategic value,which must be mutual. #inspiringNewDimension
#IWD2019 #Balanceforbetter
@inspiringchang

Allies can be your peers, junior / senior colleagues, execs - basically anyone who supports your progress and where you want to get to. Networking at various levels within your organisation/industry is important.
#inspiringNewDimension
#IWD2019 #Balanceforbetter
@inspiringchang

Mentors and Sponsors are also very important. And they are different. Your mentor plays an advisory / coaching role, while your sponsor is an advocate-the one who strategically drops your name in the right ears.
#inspiringNewDimension
#IWD2019 #Balanceforbetter
@inspiringchang

Obviously, for a sponsor to do this - they have to KNOW + TRUST your capabilities. And this is where YOU come in.Many women don’t like to toot their own horn/speak about their accomplishments. Guess what, no one can do that better than you.
#inspiringNewDimension
@inspiringchang

If you’re running a business, eventually your work will speak for itself, but before it gets to this stage, you need to do the speaking.
#inspiringNewDimension
#IWD2019 #Balanceforbetter
@inspiringchang