Written by: Marie McCarthy, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
I often hear women say how bad they feel when they become emotional at work, i.e.: crying, getting upset in front of their boss or colleagues.
Women end up wracked with guilt, saying “I’m not strong, I let my emotions get the better of me”, “Why couldn’t I just keep it together and cry in the bathroom where no one could see me?”
Hang on a second… aren’t men just as emotional in the workplace? But often just because they don’t shed a tear, doesn’t mean they are not emotional. They just have a different way of showing it. How many times have you been in meetings where men raise their voice, start shouting and using inappropriate language at colleagues, bang their hands on tables, or worse again throwing a pen across a room!
This is where there is a significant transformation begins for many women. They begin to feel the need to take on a more masculine approach to how they appear in work. However, when they do this, they are out of touch with who they truly are, leading to frustration, anxiety, stress. This can often lead to burnout and women leaving the workplace.
Now this isn’t about bashing men for being emotional, but for women to stop beating themselves up if they do show emotions. Men show emotions, just in a different manner.
Women who are in tune with their female energy are generally more confident, feel more at ease within male-dominated industries, don’t suffer from imposter syndrome, bring a greater human connection element and creativity.
Both male and female energy is needed in the workplace. If a workplace has an equal balance of male and female energy this generally leads to a much more enjoyable environment, resulting in higher staff retention, improved performance, targets been met, less stress and fewer sick days been taken, improved job satisfaction and less burnout.
Research has shown that having women in the workplace and having a greater balance of gender diversity is key for organizations’ results:
“Fortune 500 companies with the highest representation of women on boards financially outperform companies with the lowest representation of women on boards.
Gender-diverse teams have higher sales and profits compared to male-dominated teams.
A recent Gallup study found that gender-diverse business units have higher average revenue than less diverse business units.”
What can organizations do to support women stepping into their power?
Look to understand their values and what are their motivations within the workplace.
Encourage women to go for promotions.
Give women opportunities to grow their leadership skills.
Look for ways that allow flexi work or working from home more during the week.
Stop penalising women for having children and having to take time off to look after them if they are sick.
McKinsey, in partnership with LeanIn.Org. A recent 2021 report found there was an increase in women’s representation across all levels of corporate sectors in 2020. While this is positive and there have been significant strides made by organizations for more gender balance especially at the senior leadership level, more needs to be done.
Women also need to take responsibility to acknowledge their own unique skills and that their female energy has a significant role to play within their workplace. If more women can tap into their female energy, then they can have a greater impact for the better.
Marie McCarthy is a leading Mindset Coach and International Mindset Speaker. Marie helps female entrepreneurs and senior leaders within a corporate setting to remove stress, fear, and anxiety. This allows her clients to finally live their dream life, on their terms without feeling guilty. Marie has developed her unique “TTR Method Program” (Triple Transformational Results) This program enables her clients to finally understand where their learned behaviours have come from and how this affects them in their daily lives. Marie’s ability to unravel and get to the heart of the issue results in her clients achieving rapid life-altering outcomes where they are empowered, confident, and fearless. The skills her clients develop last a lifetime, not just during the timeframe of working together. Thus, giving her clients complete control over their own mindset, to handle any challenges or future limiting beliefs that may arise.
Marie McCathy, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine
Marie McCarthy is a leading Mindset Coach and International Mindset Speaker. Marie helps female entrepreneurs and senior leaders within a corporate setting to remove stress, fear, and anxiety. This allows her clients to finally live their dream life, on their terms without feeling guilty. Marie has developed her unique “TTR Method Program” (Triple Transformational Results) This program enables her clients to finally understand where their learned behaviors have come from and how this affects them in their daily lives. Marie’s ability to unravel and get to the heart of the issue results in her clients achieving rapid life-altering outcomes where they are empowered, confident, and fearless. The skills her clients develop last a lifetime, not just during the timeframe of working together. Thus, giving her clients complete control over their own mindset, to handle any challenges or future limiting beliefs that may arise.
