My first office job opened my eyes to the fact that mean girls can grow up into mean women. Their cruelty can have devastating effects. Cruelty is something strong women never do. Instead, strong women build each other up because they know what cruelty feels like. Whether you were the nerd girl, the popular cheerleader, or someone in between, chances are you’ve been exposed to female cruelty. When strong women experience cruelty, they learn it’s the wrong thing to do. As a result, they take the high road and build fellow women up so everyone shines.
The Strong Woman Helps Others Shine
“I have a saying,” says former Secretary of State, Madelaine Albright. “I think there is a special place in hell for women who don’t help other women.” Strong women are there to help each other shine. They understand that together we remain stronger and rise up together instead of knocking each other down. (1)
According to Shelley Zalis, a Contributing Writer at Forbes and founder of girls’ club FQ Lounge, collaboration helps us even the playing field. The group, which by the way also includes some men, helps women collectively reverse the stereotype about women in business. (2)
The Strong Woman Club
“There’s a new girls’ club that we didn’t have before because the workplace was largely male-dominated,” says Jocelyn Greenky, an office culture and politics expert and CEO of Sider Road. “Now that so many more women are entering the workplace, we’re finding our voice. We’re also building circles of trust with one another because we may be experiencing similar hurdles, and have each other’s backs.” (2)
The Strong Woman Overcomes Challenges
A recent study suggests that women face a greater challenge in networking to find professional opportunities. It takes networking for women to find desirable positions. However, when women work together to create their own strong and supportive networks, they find “meaningful advancement options.” These networks help peers while also advancing junior contacts within the group. (3)
The Strong Woman Network
“Across all our companies in multiple sectors and countries, we see access to networks as one of the key barriers preventing women from advancing,” says Laura McGee, CEO of Diversio. Her use of artificial intelligence helps businesses become more diverse. “We know that women are under-sponsored by senior men, and may need to compensate by developing strong professional relationships with other women. My hypothesis on the research findings is that these women are effectively acting as mentors and sponsors for one another.” (2)
The Strong Woman Supports Success
Forming nurturing relationships with fellow women allows us to support each other in our lives and our careers. The more women shine, the better we all do. “Build other women up! If you see your co-worker doing a great job, give them credit…tell your boss or other co-workers,” says Rebecca Wiser, cofounder and director of communications at Womaze. Her app offers self-empowerment for women. “At first it may seem like you’re taking attention away from yourself, but you’re actually showing that you’re a supportive team player as well as an inspiring leader—and secure enough in yourself to praise others.” Amen sister, amen. (2)
