A private equity professional explains how she shifted her mindset from being intimidated as the only woman on her team to using it as a source of power. By embracing her unique position, she commands attention and respect in a way that differentiates her.
Related Insights
When entering rooms where she might be underestimated, Harris uses a mental tool: she visualizes the people who supported her journey, like her first-grade teacher. This reminds her to carry their pride and expectations, empowering her to use her voice confidently.
A VP of HR recounts an early career negotiation where she was ignored. By firmly claiming her space and refusing to be dismissed, she learned a crucial lesson: you must command your seat at the table from the outset, or others will overlook you.
Founder Haley Pavoni advises young female founders to accept they face a harder path. Instead of letting this breed resentment, she suggests reframing it as a challenge to conquer. This mental shift turns systemic disadvantages into a source of personal motivation and resilience.
The societal message that women should be quieter or less bold is a historical strategy for control. This fear is rooted in the perceived "safety" of conforming to unnatural, prescribed roles, making women believe the problem is with them, not the system.
An immigrant's background or accent, initially seen as a hindrance, can become a unique differentiator. In a uniform field like private equity, being memorable is a significant advantage for building relationships and standing out from the crowd.
Significant career advancements often stem from changes in self-perception and belief. Adopting a mindset where you believe you belong at the next level and can own your value changes how you act and how others perceive you, creating opportunities that skills alone cannot.
The most effective way for a partner to support a driven, ambitious woman is not to question or challenge her vision, but to consciously step back, trust her intuition, and let her lead. This active support creates the space necessary for her to execute on her passion.
Instead of setting diversity quotas for her male-dominated tech network, Muriel Faberge simply encouraged members to invite their female colleagues, sisters, and even mothers. This simple, personal approach naturally led to a balanced community with roughly equal gender representation, without forced mandates.
Founder Donald Spann found that being underestimated as a Black entrepreneur could be turned into an advantage. When you easily surpass the low expectations others might have, it creates an outsized positive impression, making it easier to build rapport and gain respect in business settings.
A key leadership trait of GM CEO Mary Barra is her practice of making herself "not the center of attention" in meetings. This intentional act brings out more voices and creates a more collaborative, less hierarchical environment where a wider range of ideas can be shared.