At WILD we work closely with existing and future female leaders to climb the leadership ranks and be able to stay there. Getting more Women into leadership roles is a core and fundamental part of gender equality. Currently, in the UAE women represent 11% of boards and in Saudi Arabia, a mere 2%. More women in leadership means higher profitability for the company, notably 26%, and increased productivity and innovation. This all leads to a competitive advantage.
Women were taught to see themselves in a quiet space when they were raised; boys were deemed leaders. This has had a knock on effect to adulthood. Women in the workplace have a tendency to keep their heads down, work as hard as possible, and hope that they will be tapped on the shoulder and offered a promotion or pay rise. Sadly, it doesn’t often work that way, and we must be vocal and speak up for what we want without fear. Of course, this applies to some men too; however, men are known to be more vocal about what they want.
Research shows that women will only apply for a job when they feel they meet over a hundred percent of the criteria of the job description. Men will apply if they can do a couple of the requirements.
1. Reflecting and Getting Clear—We can often lack clarity in our careers. It is important to ascertain where you are right now and exactly where you want to get to. I recommend some time for reflection and journaling. A great tool is a SWOT analysis for you as a person. This will help you identify your key strengths, weaknesses, and areas for improvement. Getting clear and laser-focused is the first step.
2. Market research – I am a big believer of backing up conversations and negotiations with statistics and facts. With the internet and a breadth of resources at our fingertips, do some solid research on the salary banding and levels for your role. It isn’t sufficient to just ask for a pay rise or promotion, you need to have your WHY ready!
3. Assemble a 12-slide deck – Once you have done your market research and reflected on your core strengths, put together a 12-slide presentation. This should include, what wins you have had in your current role, the strengths you bring to the role, what revenue you have achieved, key client wins, and lastly, a 6-12 month plan of what you intend to do for the company. You must highlight your value and reason why you deserve the promotion and a pay rise. This shows initiative and ambition.
4. Face-to-face meeting with the line manager—Yes, it is bold to request a face-to-face meeting. However, speaking up and proving why you deserve the pay rise is fundamental. All leaders appreciate the drive and taking ownership of our careers’ trajectory. Getting time in the diary to present your WHY demonstrates leadership, too!
5. Stretch assignments—Getting ourselves noticed earns respect and opportunities for a promotion and pay rise. What stretch assignment could you get involved in at work? Are there any CSR campaigns to support local communities? In my corporate role, I built a women’s network, which resulted in a promotion and pay rise.
It is crucial to take accountability and ownership of our own careers. Styling silent only harms us and our careers. Claiming what we want involves research, courage, and planning – this results in leadership.
