Feminine energy: A superpower for diverse women

Feminine Energy

I wanted to speak about feminine energy because I see it as being a real, superpower for diverse women in the workplace.

When I speak about feminine energy, I don't mean the stereotypical ideas of being feminine.

Always submissive and nice, not messy or too outspoken. Constantly in service to others!

This is not what I mean! I am talking about using your feminine energy to be your authentic self and stay in a creative state of flow, a place of balance.

Setting boundaries and being able to take a step back to prioritise one’s self-care.

Coming across as Miss independent or superwoman

A default position, that we can easily fall into!

If you are a single parent or used to doing everything by yourself.

This persona can make you feel safe, especially if you have been abused physically, sexually, or emotionally.

I think it's natural to have defences and it can be really difficult to ask for help!

After all, you need a level of trust to be led by others, especially if you are going to be vulnerable.

How to be authentic and still have impact & influence?

Successful leadership is still predicated on very middle class, white male narratives, which remain the dominant group in leadership roles, particularly in the corporate environment.

Here are a couple of examples from coaching clients, how they navigated this in terms of impact and influence in the workplace.

‘I am a sales manager and throughout my career. I've always been more successful if I was in a male group. If not with a lot of men. I felt like I've had to modify myself because I was perceived as super competitive.

Women found me, especially if they weren't black women, a little too much!

I spend much more of my time getting to know people one to one, showing compassion and being empathetic. This helps to humanise my leadership and the feedback is I am much more approachable.

Part of me feels we shouldn't I have to do this in 2022.

Having to dull yourself down, fit in or avoid negative stereotypes of the ‘angry black woman’ can be draining, but being able to successfully navigate these assumptions or stereotypes makes corporate life much more impactful.

You will experience less resistance and have more impact getting things done.

We should be able to be more flexible in our male and female energies. But, we remain in a society that actually isn't!

‘I've got such a dislike of societal labels and the need to put people into boxes. And, that comes a lot from recognising, gender stereotypes which society provides are always true.

I am neurodivergent and I think my brain works in a very different way. So, it's feels more difficult to navigate when you don't match what you're being told by society’

There is so little recognition of how much harder some people have had to work to be recognised and promoted. Whether it's due to ethnicity, disability or gender.

 I have been challenging the business to think about difference and how these biases create barriers which slows down the progress, future growth and earning power of diverse women, this is often compounded when we consider intersectionality.

Society has the problem not me!

Sometimes I think, well, who cares about what other people think?

To think about this as a systemic problem can help frame this issue and be more compassionate to myself and others, while rejecting the negative stereotypes that are so often projected from our surroundings.

This may not help you to progress in your career, but it does help you to have better mental health and will empower you to be more of your authentic self to be more seen and heard.

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