Ready to take the next step in your career? Here is some advice on how you can put your best foot forward.

There is a ‘think-manager-think male’ theory that identifies males and masculine traits as those perceived by men and by women, to be associated with successful leadership.[1] As a result of these ingrained gender stereotypes, people fail to see the leadership potential of women.

Successful women have definitely cracked the glass ceiling, but it is still not broken. The historical white and male culture remains prevalent in organizations.

More and more women in leadership positions are pushing the boundaries of gender equality by utilizing their strengths and leadership qualities in skill, experience, knowledge and emotion. They are pursuing something they want from their job and their career.. The key is confidence in all your resources and abilities, not just those represented on paper.

While practice and education are reducing some of the invisible angst of being a woman in a leadership role, there are still challenges to face and overcome. It rests on current women leaders to embrace their role-model status and address those challenges head-on with action and execution.

For couple years, women have determined career success by their ability to adjust to the male dominated culture and business processes in workplace. Women try to play by the existing rules in the workplace and have the additional hurdle of society's perceptions of how women should act and be seen.

How to be a Successful Career Woman

Never stop learning

Take the time to continue your own education; whether it is structured research into a topic you are interested in, online courses to reskill or upskill, or honing your business knowledge with part-time courses or executive education. Maintaining a keen learning attitude throughout your career journey will help you keep your mind sharp and stay up to date with current trends. You never know when you can drop some of that newly acquired knowledge in a meeting and impress someone!





Believe in Yourself

Believing in your success is a part of achieving it. No matter how crazy your ideas might seem right now, believe in your abilities and fight to get your voice heard. Doing so will give you the confidence and the drive you need to carry out your idea.

Think of a time when you were at your very best. Review what happened and list every strength you demonstrated. These are your signature strengths. Forget about shoring up weaknesses and try using your strengths in every situation you face. This is a much more effective technique than trying to emulate other people.





Create opportunities and take initiatives Taking initiative at work is often touted as an important career tip. A few people are able to build a reputation around it. In today’s competitive work environment, the ability to take the initiative and suggest new ideas is critical in setting you apart from your peers. Make sure you always take some time to look at all aspects of the business to identify areas that have been forgotten or can be improved. Sharing these ideas up with your boss and your team will showcase your strengths in critical thinking and business partnering, helping you build a reputation in your career that will put you ahead of the pack.

Risk taking

Women's aversion to risk sets in around puberty when women become conscious of managing real risk. Watch a woman walk down a street at night and she will be scanning ahead, avoiding dark corners, on alert regarding potential threat.

Being conscious of risk and planning to avoid it at all costs limits your options. Fear of failing will stop you putting yourself forward. Psychologists call it 'anticipatory anxiety' – all that advance worrying about what can go wrong is so destructive.





Optimists succeed not because luck is on their side, but because they work very hard to make sure things come out right rather than focussing on what might conceivably go wrong. Be excited about a new challenge. Be brave. Sometimes you fail, less than you imagine, but even then you will learn something along the way.





Be Your Own Boss

The most successful women have figured out that being the leader allows them to set their own rules. As you rise higher in a workplace, you will get more control which will ultimately lead to success. When you are in control, you can create a happier, more organized and more balanced workplace for yourself as well as your employees.





Build the sisterhood

When you first join a workplace there may be loads of women. But many companies lose a half cent of their women every five years. By the time women are in senior roles, they are often the lone and sometimes lonely women. Used to dealing with men, they often don't notice for a while. Then they begin to get the message that maybe this isn't the place for the likes of them. Keep strong links with women in your field. Look out for and support other women. Build your posse. You'll need them as time goes by. When you succeed, do not pull up the ladder behind you - make sure you pull other women up after you instead. cent of their women every five years. By the time women are in senior roles, they are often the lone and sometimes lonely women. Used to dealing with men, they often don't notice for a while. Then they begin to get the message that maybe this isn't the place for the likes of them. Keep strong links with women in your field. Look out for and support other women. Build your posse. You'll need them as time goes by. When you succeed, do not pull up the ladder behind you - make sure you pull other women up after you instead.





Do Not Expect Perfection

Do not demand perfection from yourself or anyone in your workplace. Wasting your valuable time trying to achieve the ever-elusive perfection, will only cause frustration, dissatisfaction and confidence loss. Beating yourself up over your shortcomings will only dampen your ability and willingness to work, and also affect your mental health. Successful women know they cannot do everything right all the time; they accept it and learn from it.





Know That To Succeed, You Must Fail

In order to succeed you must fail, so that you know what not to do the next time is the perfect mantra you should embrace. Failure is a stepping stone to success, especially if you are trying something new. Prepare yourself that you will not make it in life without taking a few tumbles. The important thing is to get up after each fall, learn from your mistakes, devise a new plan and go at it again.