Femsy strongly believes in the motto: “Work hard and you will get noticed and rewarded.” She makes long hours to get the job done. She is missing out on the “social talks” in order not to waste her time.

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A great leader: 

• Is valued and respected for demonstrated expertise in her field;
• Ensures that her goals are met, focuses on the right things and sets priorities;
• Has broad knowledge and perspective, is strategic and thinks and talks business;
• Is a team player;
• Knows how to get things done through formal channels and informal networks;
• Integrates work and personal life and gets what she wants from both.

How to best handle the situation:

Rolling up your sleeves and working long hours is no qualifier to go up the career ladder in the business world.

According to Jason Fried working more than 40 hours a week doesn’t mean you’re working hard. It just means you are working more than 40 hours.

Equally important to working hard are strategic thinking, likeability, networking and being a team player.

In order to grow your career it is important that the decision maker believes you have   the growth potential as well as the strong team relationships to do the job on the next level.

Learning suggestions:

• Redefine what “hard work” really means. Stop what you always have been doing. Learn to work differently. Step back and ask yourself how you can stand out by changing, improving or enhancing your organization. How can you make a difference? How can you truly add value?
• Learn to delegate effectively to your team members;
• Define for yourself how many working hours you want to put into your work life. Find your own unique balance of work and leisure that is satisfying. There will be times when you must work overtime but make sure it does not become routine;
• Devote time each week to building and maintaining your internal and external network;
• Develop an effective “can-do-attitude”. Block in sufficient time every day to deal with ad-hoc issues;
• Pursue a sponsor within your organization to help advance your career. Have him/her challenge your thinking and assign projects that force you out of your comfort zone;
• Keep your expertise fresh by reading articles and white papers by thought leaders, leading companies, research institutes and consultancy companies;
• Attend conferences, seminars, webinars etc. on trends/developments in your area of expertise;
• Join professional networks from different industries and organizations to participate in round table discussions on the opportunities and challenges you face;

Femchallenge:

What could you do differently to position yourself as a confident business leader and be recognized as such?

Femcommunity tips:

We welcome your thoughts, experiences and comments on how you would deal with such a situation.

Read more about Co-Colours and Co-Colours Team.