Behind Every Successful Woman Is Herself – A Hallmark Fantasy?

Episode 111: Confident At Work: Behind Every Successful Woman Is Herself

A few years ago, my Mum gave me a birthday card I loved. It said, "Behind every successful woman is herself." That card still sits on my kitchen counter. But starting at it while making a cup of tea one morning I realised the sad truth; like lots of sentiment found on cards, this one was more fantasy than reality.

I coach successful women every day, so I can see first hand, that successful women are often very much not, behind themselves.

What Does It Mean to Be "Behind Yourself"?

When you're behind someone, you offer them your support, encouragement, and protection. You're familiar with that because you do it already for friends, family, and colleagues - but do you offer the same support, encouragement and protection to yourself?

For many of us, the answer is no.

But what if that could change?

The Power of Being Behind Yourself

When you’re behind yourself, you back your own expertise, potential, and decisions. And you give yourself grace when things don’t go perfectly.

This week I interviewed Mary Ann Seighart for the podcast and she shared her research on the authority gap; the difference between how seriously we take men and how seriously we take women. The research is conclusive; we're still more reluctant to accord authority to a woman than we are to a man.

So no surprise that the professional women I speak to aren't behind themselves. We've been brought up in a world which consciously or unconsciously, hasn't been fully behind us. And it's told us that over so many years in so many ways.

After I'd interviewed Mary Ann about closing the authority gap, my part in it became crystal clear.

Mission: Get Every Woman Behind Herself

I’m determined to help every woman get squarely and firmly behind herself.

Maybe the world isn't going to back us like it should yet, but we still can.

The world may yet accord us less authority than a man, but we sure as hell should not.

The world may question our ability, skills and expertise, but we do not have to.

And if we do, we can see it as a function of growing up in a society that questioned us more and trusted us less. Not as a function of our own deficit or incompetence. And then we can do the damn thing anyway.

Let’s Get Going, We've Got Work To Do

When I take a quick look around, this work is already the foundation of what I'm doing coaching, training and speaking about confidence; but as of today i'm doubling down.

So, let me ask you - are you behind yourself?

Not yet?

I can help you with that.

We ride at dawn towards a world where women wake up, and realise the truth: even in a world that isn't always behind them; they could be behind themselves.

You could be behind yourself starting today and tomorrow, and tomorrow and tomorrow.

And wouldn't that be something?

If you want my help to get behind yourself you have three options:-

1. Take The Confidence Assessment - free resource to help you spot all the ways you aren't quite behind yourself yet, and tips to help you get behind yourself in order to feel more confident at work.
2. Join The Members Club - we are open for new members in September 2024. Training for new members starts at the end of September. Join us for a quarter, or a year.
3. Private Coach with me - overcome your personal workplace challenges and areas for development in supportive, structured programme tailored uniquely to you.