Common career stallers for women leaders

“What early career mistake will you never make again?” A few months ago, I proactively reached out to 5 trailblazing women leaders in the corporate world, seeking their wisdom. Their responses? A treasure trove of insights, a fresh perspective, and 5 transformative lessons that every professional, irrespective of gender or rank, should embed in their career blueprint. Let’s delve in: 🌟 Mistake #1: Not Advocating for Their Worth 🌟 In the corporate maze, many women often hesitate to negotiate their initial salary offers. Societal norms might whisper, "Accept it, or someone else will." This mindset can lead to earning less than their potential. Assertively, women in corporate roles must champion their worth. By stepping up, they not only elevate their own stature but also set a precedent for equal pay and respect. 🌟 Mistake #2: Sidestepping Leadership Opportunities 🌟 A skilled woman in a corporate role can efficiently drive a project to completion. Yet, some might shy away from leadership roles due to self-doubt. However, a self-assured and assertive woman in the corporate realm can spearhead entire divisions to success. Achieving tasks is commendable, but pioneering change is legendary. 🌟 Mistake #3: Overlooking the Power of Networking 🌟 Until you've solidified your place in the corporate ladder, relentlessly pursue connections. "Empowered women empower women." This quote isn't just words to me; it's a mantra. It underscores the potency of collaboration and mutual upliftment. 🌟 Mistake #4: Clinging to the Familiar🌟 Conventional wisdom might suggest, "Play it safe." Yet, this mantra holds weight only when: 1. You're stagnating 2. You're not challenging the status quo With courage and assertiveness, stepping out of comfort zones isn't just beneficial—it's revolutionary. 🌟 Mistake #5: Overcommitting Without Boundaries 🌟 It's tempting to believe we can shoulder every task. To think our energy is boundless. To assume we're impervious to burnout. Yet, reality often begs to differ. That's why it's paramount for women to assertively set boundaries, prioritize tasks, and ensure self-care isn't just an afterthought but a strategy. That’s it! I'd love to hear your thoughts: Which one of these techniques resonates with you the most? Have you tried any of them before? What was your experience like? Please share in the comments. Based on your feedback, I'm happy to do another post going into more depth on whichever technique you find most interesting or useful. Let's keep this conversation going! #WomenInCorporate #Assertiveness #CareerInsights #Empowerment #womeninsales

Have you ever found yourself saying "yes" to a project when your plate was already overflowing? Or apologizing profusely before declining a meeting? If you're nodding along (or maybe even wincing a little), welcome to the club! As women leaders, many of us have earned black belts in the martial art of stretching ourselves too thin. Managing time expectations is fundamentally different for women leaders. When we set boundaries, we risk being labeled "not a team player" – labels that somehow rarely seem to stick to our male counterparts. Women leaders also shoulder a disproportionate load of "office housework" – those necessary but invisible tasks like mentoring junior staff, planning celebrations, or taking notes in meetings. (One study found women spend about 200+ more hours annually on these non-promotable tasks than men at the same level. That's basically a part-time job you never applied for!) But here's the truth: your ability to lead effectively depends on setting clear expectations for your time. It's not selfish – it’s smart. Here are 5 strategies you can use to protect your time like a mama bear without growling at every request that comes your way.

When I became a lawyer, my grandmother—born in 1923—was elated. For her, it wasn’t just about my achievement; it was about progress. Women now enter law school in equal numbers as men. Yet, we still make up only 27% of law firm partners. Along the way, many talented women step away or stall in their careers. Why? 📌 The Motherhood Penalty—a 5% wage drop per child, plus fewer promotions. 📌 Long-Hours Culture—where availability is still seen as commitment. 📌 Unconscious Bias—in how work, clients, and leadership paths are shaped. The legal profession is evolving, but change takes time. The good news? Women are leading that change: 💡 Rising in legal ops & tech, where women hold 60% of VP roles. 💡 Shaping strategy as General Counsels in high-growth industries. 💡 Advocating for flexible career paths that prioritize performance over hours. To keep this momentum, firms can ask: ✔️ Are we measuring impact or just hours worked? ✔️ Do we have pathways to leadership that support different career journeys? ✔️ How are we retaining top talent in a shifting legal landscape? As a former lawyer turned executive coach, I see firsthand the shifts happening—and the challenges that remain. There’s no single solution, but conversations like this help move us forward. #WomenInLaw #Leadership #LegalCareers #FutureOfWork

Even star performers can suddenly find their careers stalled. The real danger? You rarely see it coming. After coaching hundreds of senior women leaders, I’ve noticed clear patterns in what quietly derails promising careers and, more importantly, how you can course-correct before it’s too late. It starts with little things: – Meeting invite you didn’t get – Others get consulted when you have the answers – Dismissive praise like, “You’re so reliable, we can always count on you” (Grab my FREE 11 page guide to avoid these pitfalls: https://lnkd.in/gZJrJxhm) Avoiding these 8 leadership behaviors might: 1) Change resistance disguised as stability ➝ Past success doesn’t guarantee future growth. ➝ The riskiest belief? Thinking what got you here will get you there. 2) Lone achiever mindset ➝ Individual brilliance only gets you so far. ➝ At higher levels, your real impact is what you achieve through others. 3) The credibility gap ➝ Big promises matter less than steady delivery. ➝ Trust grows when you consistently follow through—no more, no less. 4) Tactical excellence without strategic vision ➝ Technical skills helped you climb. ➝ But solving just today’s problems keeps you stuck. 5) Relationship blindspots ➝ Small interpersonal missteps add up. ➝ The higher you go, the more your EQ matters, even more than technical chops. 6) Low self-awareness ➝ What’s obvious to everyone else may be invisible to you. ➝ I’ve seen promising leaders stall simply because they don’t recognize their limiting habits under stress. 7) Conflict avoidance ➝ Those silent tensions you ignore?  ➝ Quietly damaging your leadership brand. 8) Career derailment blindness ➝ Derailment isn't dramatic… it's gradual and invisible. ➝ The bravest leaders scan for hidden risks and ask for feedback even when it's hard. The most remarkable leaders I’ve coached share a trait: – They’re brutally honest with themselves about their growth edges. – They don’t just chase titles, they work to address these derailers. This week, pick a small, uncomfortable action to strengthen that area. Even one step can shift your trajectory. P.S. Which derailer do you see most often in talented leaders who get stuck? ♻️ Repost to help others avoid having their careers derailed Follow me, Jill Avey for daily leadership insights

In honor of International Women's Day, the perfect #RachelReads pick for today is "How Women Rise" by Sally Helgesen and Marshall Goldsmith I was first introduced to this book by my Chief Guide, Patricia Quiddington. Chief was the first place in my career where I felt fully supported by women leaders—a stark contrast to some of my earlier experiences. For a time, I was the only woman on a leadership team, presenting to the C-suite of our parent company every week. These meetings were structured like a boardroom presentation—high stakes, high expectations, and a room full of men. I held my own in every conversation, but looking back, I recognize how much of the burden was on me to prove my value in ways my male counterparts didn’t have to. One of the book’s key insights? 𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐦𝐚𝐲 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐳𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐭𝐬 𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐥 𝐢𝐭’𝐬 𝐭𝐨𝐨 𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐞. Meaning, you could be passed over time and time again without understanding why. This book outlines 12 habits that hold women back: 1️⃣ Reluctance to Claim Your Achievements – Giving credit to your team or boss instead of owning your contributions. 2️⃣ Expecting Others to Notice & Reward Your Work – Assuming your efforts speak for themselves instead of advocating for yourself. 3️⃣ Overvaluing Expertise – Prioritizing mastery over visibility and relationships. 4️⃣ Building Rather Than Leveraging Relationships – Networking on the surface instead of strategically deepening connections. (𝐴 𝑐𝑟𝑢𝑐𝑖𝑎𝑙 𝑠𝑘𝑖𝑙𝑙 𝐼 ℎ𝑒𝑙𝑝 𝑜𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑠 𝑑𝑒𝑣𝑒𝑙𝑜𝑝 𝑡ℎ𝑟𝑜𝑢𝑔ℎ 𝑚𝑦 𝑜𝑤𝑛 𝑐𝑜𝑎𝑐ℎ𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑡𝑜𝑑𝑎𝑦!) 5️⃣ Failing to Enlist Allies From Day One – Not identifying key internal advocates early enough. 6️⃣ Putting Your Job Before Your Career – Staying loyal to a role or boss longer than you should. 7️⃣ The Perfection Trap – Avoiding risks because you fear not being flawless. 8️⃣ The Disease to Please – Saying "yes" too often instead of setting boundaries. 9️⃣ Minimizing – Downplaying your presence through words and body language. 🔟 Too Much – Overexplaining instead of being concise. 1️⃣1️⃣ Ruminating – Wasting energy dwelling on past mistakes. 1️⃣2️⃣ Letting Your Radar Distract You – Being so attuned to others’ needs that you lose focus. I wish I had learned #6, #10, and #11 earlier. 💡 #6 (Putting My Job Before My Career) led to burnout. 💡 #10 (Overexplaining) is something I’ve been working on with Brenden 🎤 Kumarasamy for over a year as my communications coach. 💡 #11 (Ruminating)—I’ve learned to slow down to speed up. Not everything has to be done immediately; it gets done when it gets done. (Like this post—I meant to publish it yesterday, but here we are.) Which of these habits resonates most with you? #HowWomenRise #CareerGrowth #Networking #Leadership #WomenInBusiness

Few things are as frustrating as when we’re trying to get to the next level and it’s not going as planned, but we don’t understand why it’s not working! That's when we get to ask ourselves: is it me or them? As an executive coach specializing in helping women advance beyond Director and who has guided hundreds of leaders through promotions, I’ve seen and heard it all and know it can be either. Three ways we hold ourselves back which are in our control to change: 1. Operating as a junior workhorse instead of a strategic leader and not instilling trust that we can be successful in a more senior role 2. Not stating our intention to stakeholders to move up in our career  3. Not being proactive or owning the conversations about getting to the next level Three ways our company holds us back that’s out of our control: 1. Lack of growth opportunities due to business needs, not needing a more senior version of us  2. Cultural misalignment, where they’re looking for someone we’re not able or willing to be based on values, preferences and priorities 3. Uncertainty on timeline and expectations where advancement could happen for us, but they’re not able or willing to agree on when and how, therefore stringing us along, whether consciously or not The first step to problem-solving is understanding what’s keeping us from moving forward. This allows us to develop an effective strategy. If you’re a female manager, Director, or VP who is trying to move up, I hope you found this useful! #womeninleadership #careeradvancement 

"You're doing a great job. You 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 need more executive presence." 🤦🏻♀️ Oh, okay. Let me just go buy some from the store. Maybe it’s on sale next to gravitas and leadership aura? 🔍 Research shows that women and especially women of colour are disproportionately given vague, subjective feedback instead of clear, actionable guidance. Stuck in their career navigating foggy directions like: "Work on your presence." "Be more confident." "Find a mentor." Let's fix that. 🚫 5 Common Career Staller Feedback & What to Say Instead 🚫 1️⃣ Don't Say ❌ 𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐧𝐞𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐞 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐟𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭. Lacks specificity, making it challenging to address. 👉Say ✅ I’d love to see you take the lead in client meetings. Your insights are valuable—let’s work on amplifying your voice in those spaces. ↳ 𝘐𝘮𝘱𝘢𝘤𝘵: 𝘌𝘯𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘢𝘨𝘦𝘴 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘱 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘷𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘴 𝘢 𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘤𝘪𝘧𝘪𝘤 𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯. 2️⃣ Don't Say ❌ 𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤 𝐨𝐧 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞. Ambiguous, leaving the individual unsure of what's lacking. 👉Say ✅ Your expertise is valuable—enhancing your presentation skills can increase your impact in executive meetings. ↳ 𝘐𝘮𝘱𝘢𝘤𝘵: 𝘍𝘰𝘤𝘶𝘴𝘦𝘴 𝘰𝘯 𝘢 𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘤𝘪𝘧𝘪𝘤 𝘴𝘬𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘣𝘦 𝘥𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘭𝘰𝘱𝘦𝘥. 3️⃣ Don't Say ❌ 𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐧𝐞𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐝 𝐚 𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐨𝐫. Delays advancement without clear reasoning. 👉Say ✅ Identifying key leaders who can sponsor you for larger opportunities will be beneficial. Let’s work on building those connections. ↳ 𝘐𝘮𝘱𝘢𝘤𝘵: 𝘔𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘴 𝘣𝘦𝘺𝘰𝘯𝘥 𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘱 𝘵𝘰 𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘴𝘱𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘰𝘳𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘱. 4️⃣ Don't Say ❌ 𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐧𝐞𝐞𝐝 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞. Vague on what specific experience is required. 👉Say ✅ Gaining experience in 𝐛𝐮𝐝𝐠𝐞𝐭 𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 will prepare you for this role. Let’s assign you a project to develop that skill. ↳ 𝘐𝘮𝘱𝘢𝘤𝘵: 𝘗𝘳𝘰𝘷𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘴 𝘢 𝘤𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘳, 𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘥𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘭𝘰𝘱𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘱. 5️⃣ Don't Say ❌ 𝐘𝐨𝐮’𝐫𝐞 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐪𝐮𝐢𝐭𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐲 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩 𝐲𝐞𝐭. Provides no guidance on areas needing development. 👉Say ✅ "To prepare for leadership roles, consider leading cross-functional projects. Let’s create a development plan together. ↳ 𝘐𝘮𝘱𝘢𝘤𝘵: 𝘖𝘧𝘧𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘢 𝘤𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘳 𝘱𝘢𝘵𝘩𝘸𝘢𝘺 𝘵𝘰 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘱. Leaders—your words shape careers. The difference between “not yet” and “you’re next” is the clarity of the feedback you give. Give the roadmap—not roadblocks. What is a clear and actionable feedback that you have received that make a difference in your leadership progression? Koon Executive Coach #careerhackwithkoon DM 👉1:1 coaching 👉Leadership Training Program 👉Keynote speaker/panelist

For years, ‘feminine’ leadership traits, like empathy, vulnerability and intuition have been devalued and criticised in the workplace… With many women being encouraged to replicate masculine models of power, and be more authoritative and directive. These expectations have not just forced women to squeeze themselves into a box that doesn’t fit them and into a system that wasn’t designed for them - but it’s limited their career success and is a huge reason why women continue to be underrepresented in leadership positions to this day. One of the six paradoxes of power that many women experience in the workplace - the Leadership Paradox - tells women to ‘be a leader, but not like that’, and insists that women lead like men, and not as their true selves if they want to receive recognition and climb the organisational ranks. Consider your own working experiences as a woman… (If you’re a male ally reading this, consider these questions from the perspective of your female co-workers). • Have you ever been labeled as ‘aggressive’ or ‘bossy’ when you’ve spoken up or asserted yourself? • Or perhaps, on the other hand, you’ve been called ‘soft’ or ‘weak’ when you’ve demonstrated empathy or compassion? • Have you had many female leaders to look up to or, like many women in the Women Rising community, have you had very few or no female leaders or role models above you in your organisation? While I offer a myriad of strategies for overcoming and dismantling the leadership paradox in my book, Women Rising: The forces that hold us back and the tools to help us rise, a strategy I want to offer you today is to develop your own leadership blueprint. • What are your unique leadership strengths? • Where could you find opportunities to utilise these strengths more in your workplace? • What are your leadership values? • What values aligned opportunities could you access or create? These ponderings will help you to get clear on the kind of leader you want to be, the innate strengths and qualities you already possess, and how you can be proactive in showing up in your workplace in a new way and inadvertently, play a role in dismantling a paradox that harms the majority of working women. I’d love to hear your reflections in the comments. #womenrisingbook #leadershipparadox #leadership

Ladies, still being told you "lack people manager experience" for your next level? Too many ambitious women get stalled here: → You deliver results, but when people manager roles open up, you’re told "we need to see more from you." → You question yourself with "I don’t have people manager experience yet." → You wait for someone else to validate your readiness. Remember, leadership isn’t about what’s on your resume. It’s about how you frame the experience you already have. Every cross-functional project, every time you’ve influenced without authority, every time you’ve aligned stakeholders...you’ve been practicing people leadership. You just haven’t been framing it that way. So instead of shrinking when you hear "not yet", flip the script: ✅ Reframe your track record as leadership, not just execution. ✅ Anchor your impact to how you’ve already mobilized teams, mentored peers, or driven outcomes through others. ✅ Signal your next move clearly. For example, "Here’s how I’ve led without direct reports, and how that's supporting my ability to take on a people manager role this year." Waiting to "feel ready" only keeps you in the same chair, while less-qualified peers raise their hands and move ahead. You don’t need permission to lead. You need to claim the narrative you're already doing. You've got this! _______ ♻️ Found this helpful? Repost to share with other women in your network. ➕ Follow Tiffany Uman for daily content to over 1 million learners across social and email on career growth, leadership and communication confidence for women in corporate.

We’re not done talking about retaining female leadership The latest headlines have lit a fire in my belly. Two very high-profile women have just exited government. One made a mistake; but what happened to forgiveness and second chances? The other was invited in but not made welcome. This isn’t new. We hear it over and over. Organisations set ambitious diversity targets, hire women into leadership with fanfare, but never fix the systems and culture that should support them. And then we wonder why the exits keep coming. This isn’t rocket science. Women aren’t that complicated. The systems are. Let’s talk about transparency “Clarity and transparency build credibility. Without them, leaders are just figureheads.” - Howard Schultz Most people start a new role on the back of shiny job descriptions, polished websites, and slick company videos. What’s usually missing? Honest insight into the challenges, the politics, and why others before you may have struggled. Too many roles fail before they’ve even begun,simply because nobody had the full picture. What does success really look like? Women hold just 32% of executive roles in FTSE-100 leadership teams, despite making up 51% of the UK population. And only 9% of FTSE-100 CEOs are women. But numbers aside, alignment matters. Before you sign on, ask: What does success look like for me, and for this business? Define it. Document it. Agree on it. Otherwise you risk being tied to a path you never chose. Politics is unavoidable, but it’s not the enemy Every big organisation has politics. And yes, promising change will ruffle feathers. The best female leaders I know don’t fear this. They communicate, they listen, and they bring even the sceptics on the journey. Politics isn’t the real threat. Silence is. The bigger picture Globally, only 33.5% of senior management roles are held by women. At this pace, we won’t see parity until 2053. In the U.S., women make up nearly half of entry-level roles but only 29% of the C-suite. And when women do make it to the top, their tenure is often shorter: 24% of women CEOs exit within two years, compared to just 10% of men. The issue isn’t lack of talent. It’s lack of support. Final thought If we want to keep women in leadership, glossy recruitment campaigns aren’t enough. The real work is in building cultures, systems, and leadership structures that actually support the women you bring in. Retention isn’t about keeping women in the room. It’s about giving them the clarity, trust, and authority to lead. #leadership #futureofwork #careers #WomenInLeadership #InclusiveLeadership #Culture #Talent