You're a woman in a male-dominated field. How can you build confidence and assertiveness?

When I know I offer expertise be it professional experience or lived experience I do not hesitate to share. I have done this often through my career it is typiclly valued and it often exposes a blind spot that could have resulted in negative branding or an innovative idea that reflects well on the organization. Knowing my value fuels my passion to share.

Keep it simple, don’t try to force fit yourself socially and in your views. Treat everyone as you would like to be treated ! Avoid discriminating conversations and make efforts to normalise a gender neutral environment! Most of the times it’s overthinking and over analysing that makes this part difficult.

Focus on your value to your organization, and to your team as a whole. Never tolerate any judgement beyond your accomplishments and the potential you represent. Know that the single best way to improve is to understand it's continual. Finally, give back, coach, mentor, share your career lessons, and make sure you pass on what you've learned.

Know your own worth, you have experience, skills and contributions that others do not. You have been on a different journey than others and will have value to bring as much as any colleague, male or female. Be prepared to challenge stereotypes, demonstrate how you excel in your work and celebrate achievements, small or large, recognising these boost confidence and motivation. Look for allies, supporting colleagues who can mentor and provide encouragement when needed. Know your subject, be well prepared and provide value in each engagement you are involved in. Becoming a go to person boosts your own confidence and builds your positive personal brand to those around you.

In order to become confident and assertive as a woman in a field that is dominated by men, you must first recognise your value, then set clear goals, look for mentorship and support, practice assertiveness, build a supportive network, challenge stereotypes, take risks, prioritise self-care, and celebrate your accomplishments. Perseverance, resilience, and self-belief are essential for overcoming obstacles and succeeding in your career pursuits on this path of self-discovery and empowerment.

I couldn’t agree more on this with you Dr Payal. I feel one mustn’t see through the gender lens at such discussions. Instead, treat everyone as colleagues, focus on presenting your ideas backed by facts, and demonstrate your knowledge and insights on the subject. By doing so, the distinction based on gender becomes less significant, and confidence in your abilities naturally emerges, leading to a more equitable and inclusive discourse.

It is imperative to be heard in meetings, especially in the boardroom. From my experience, often the discussions take place at a blistering pace. I would suggest - try and be one of the voices to be heard - as your ideas may positively change the narrative. Even if your ideas are at first shot down, make it a habit to be heard.

Too often, people hold back because they “buy into” gender stereotypes. I have seen a good way to challenge the old messages is to be prepared and speak up.

There is a space from where your voice comes from that is not only wanting to be heard. Often, we speak of inauthenticity, fear, and just wanting to be heard. When speaking and sharing ideas from the authentic place, it is pure; that space is where there is no fear or need to be heard.

Es importante que ser escuchado o participar no significa decir cualquier cosa, debe ser ideas que aporten, positivas y cuando se hagan criticas deben ser constructivas de forma positiva para el proyecto y el equipo. Ser escuchado pero recordado por tener tan buenas intervenciones que en ocasiones te soliciten que intervengas u opines para evaluar temas y aportes del resto, esto afianza la confianza propia y la asertividad la confianza de los demas para con uno. Recuerda que si estas alli y formas parte del equipo es porque tienes la capacidad.

In my experience, setting boundaries and saying no frees up energy and time to do the things that are most crucial and give you the opportunity to give your best in a focused and professional manner.

Boundaries are not something you do; they are something you are. Over time, those boundaries will change. Please be sure to know why you have them. It is okay to say no and yes when protecting your most precious commodity—time.

Al inicio cuesta mucho decir que no, sobre todo cuando se es un Junior. Pero es muy importante reconocer nuestros limites y saber cuando decir no o cuando solicitar establecimiento de prioridades para la ejecucion de los proyectos. No sirve de nada decir que si a todo y que el trabajo no sea de calidad o se vea afectado al no alcanzar los tiempos de entrega. Esto permite al equipo y al supervisor saber cuando se esta sobre exigiendo o cuando deben balancearse mejor las cargas de trabajo. Asimismo, cuando se es lider hay que llevar un control de las asignaciones por cada integrante del equipo. El bienestar y la salud son importantes para poder ser productivos.

It's advisable to always be in the mindset of Learning/Mastery with what you do. This will help to build your confidence and assertiveness when talking on those subjects. Being an expert in your field and with your responsibilities will help you to establish boundaries, and not take work on that could be a detriment to your career, to your colleagues, or to the company. It's important to remember that if things fall outside your scope of work, that you can refuse those tasks respectfully, and show grace doing so. For any behavior that is inappropriate, make a note of it, and address it as needed, no one should tolerate disrespect, or actions that are unprofessional.

- a boundary is not just for your protection, it's also for your nerve. One cannot be proactive if one is anxious and afraid. - boundaries should be plyable, not walls. Kindness in asserting your boundaries gives people an easy way of being around you. Make yourself easy to work with. - assert a boundary with respect - people don't know your boundaries until they hit one, so be kind and firm, when you tell them what you need - be honest and frank about them, not passive aggressive

I don't expect to have to do anything when/if there are more men in my given field. I've spent my career in male-dominated fields and my thought is - what difference does it make? As an experienced, talented, capable professional with a proven track record behind me, I treat myself and everyone around me with the same expectations, seriousness, and respect. If others did same, we might not be having this discussion. Does being the only woman out of, for example, 10,000 make a difference? If someone felt like it did, I would analyze what is the impact of that scenario, seek supporting data to assess solutions, and decide what actions to take, on the personal level, as each person's experience may be different.

You may be paired up with a formal mentor in the workplace. However, in these days of hyper-competition, this is not enough. Many studies (including my own Ph.D thesis) shows that we also need to build up a constellation of informal mentors (this could be an earlier boss), peer mentors and even draw on reverse mentoring (learning a skillset from a junior).

An example of building support is to imagine building your personal board of directors, which can include mentors, sponsors, advisors of office politics, someone in your industry but not your organization, a coach, and valued peers.

Offer help. - when there is someone from whom you wish mentorship, offer a hand for free. If you're good enough they'll pay you or give you payment kind - prepare questions that are researched first, not small talk just to get their attention - never send email or text asking "how are you?" Get directly to the point as to why you're reaching out and what you want - busy people like to help where they can, be patient and persistent

El apoyo y la tutoria ya no debe ser solo parte de los estudios o de un mentor en la oficina. Hoy en dia y con las redes y comunidades es muy facil conseguir apoyo aunque no presencial si de expertos o consultores en el area que independiente de su genero, son abiertos a opinar y apoyar las dudas y consultas de tecnologias o situaciones similares, sin caer en la divulgación de información sensible de los proyectos o de la empresa, sino conversando sobre tecnologias, situaciones o cuellos de botella que se suelen presentar de forma comun y como fueron capaces de resolver estas situaciones. La virtualización esta abarcando todos los campos y debemos unirnos a esta para crecer

Celebrating your achievements is preceded by accepting that your achievements are your own. I speak to so many young women in the workforce who credit their achievements to 'luck' or family support, or even to the boss. We need to change the narrative and embrace our successes, saying for example, 'Yes, I achieved my promotion due to my hard work and my abilities, plus support from family and colleagues.' What do you think?

I agree, celebrate your successes and accomplishments, but watch out for that internal voice that says it is not enough. Perfectionism is “the enemy of progress,” and doesn’t serve your confidence factor.

Para celebrar los logros no es necesario hacer una fiesta, creo que los logros hablan por nosotros y en el trabajo bien hecho siempre esta nuestro nombre. Es mas importante estar dispuesto a compartir con nuevas generaciones o con el equipo consejos basados en situaciones o experiencias similares y usar los logros para demostrar como fueron efectivas sin ser egocentricos o pensar que es la unica manera, pero es una forma de incentivar la lluvia de ideas, despertar al equipo y eliminar la sombra del fracaso que suele atarcarnos en ciertos momentos. Los logros y progresos siempre me hacen sentir capaz y sirven de impulso para ir mas alla en cada proyecto y en cada paso

Stop saying 'sorry' and 'just'. E.g 'Sorry for rambling on ...' or 'Can I just run this passed you...' NO, NO, NO. Do not actively diminish your views or contribution. Make your point or say you'd like to run something passed them but do not couch in apologetic terms. And if you get talked over just turn and look the culprit in the eye and ask them to wait or simply keep talking until they shut up. Don't worry about frail egos.

Building on confidence and assertiveness skills helps build up executive presence. It's difficult to define executive presence. One can say that when someone with such a presence walks into the room, you can sense it. It could be a culmination from the way they walk, talk, make eye contact, their power dressing and charisma. Build up these traits so that when you walk into a room, your confidence is palpable to others.

In my opinion times are changing and have changed already . It is important to develop your comunication skills be confident and that comes with constant up skilling to develop your listening analyzing and also having a focus on the way you deliver your point of view . In an organization it is important to make yourself acceptable and then it is easy to have a dialogue . Having a dialogue is more important than just dictating or showing the path etc . Open to learning from others is also important . Moving and open to experiment is another important aspect for successful leadership and evolution of your own self . Overall an Open Collaborative & Upskilling approach will always help us be acceptable in our workspace .

Be very careful not to diagnose yourself with a confidence issue, when the system itself is likely to seek to erode your confidence. Knowing yourself when you are confident and then being curious about how and what changes that when you are at work will give you clues about how to respond to the environment, not some inherent issue with you. The system wants you to think you’re the problem. You aren’t. It’s the system.

Welding is male dominated and was ruled in India for last 70 years. Reason was it has heat, radiations and difficult environment or positions in which activity is done. Traditionally in India such jobs were not allowed and chosen by ladies. Rest of the world you will find if not 50-50% male and female but quite a high percentage of females in welding. As welding is moving from classical electrode welding to continuous wires it has helped in its automation and electronics is helping it to be done with ease. I see a trend in India changing very fast and resistance welding, automated welding and even manual TIG welding being performed by females and lot many female welding engineers on the shop and in planning. Sujata is real role model!!!

Confidence comes from the value addition that you make to the job assigned to you. It's a challenge, but know that when you have chosen to be in the male dominated field, you have to be most comfortable yourself. That comfort level in your mind coupled with your knowledge and skill will help you sail through.

Recognise and appreciate your strengths and qualities. Draw on your confidence and assertiveness and openly share these with those around you, so they may also recognise the qualities and strength you bring and how beneficial they can be.

We often blame others for making us ‘feel’ a certain way. Get some great training, so you understand the effect your preferred communication style has on your interactions and influence. Behaviour begets behaviour. Start with you.