"Bossy?" "Abrasive?" People's impressions can be off the mark. Time to flip the script and make labels work to your advantage.
Labels. They're everywhere, and they can make or break your career. Especially for women, labels can be wildly inaccurate. Ever heard about that super confident lady at work whom everyone calls "bossy" or "abrasive"? Yeah, it's a real thing. Stanford's Clayman Institute for Gender Research confirms that labels for women often focus more on personality traits while men get the credit for accomplishments. Not exactly fair, right?
Let's be real. We're not going to get rid of labels anytime soon. Impressions and opinions are part and parcel of human interactions. But here's the silver lining: you do have some say in the labels that people, including your boss, associate you with. All you need is to figure out which labels you want. And that's where chea seed, your career coaching and tracking app, steps in.
Picking the "Right" Labels
It's all about taking control of your narrative and choosing labels that underscore growth. It's high time women opted for labels that spotlight their successes and talents, like "leader" or "problem solver." Let's level that playing field.
Not sure which labels you want to stick? No sweat. Here's a simple way to figure it out.
Tracking Achievements and Pats on the Back
The key to nailing the right labels? Keep a record of your achievements and shoutouts from your team and boss. Achievements are those awesome things you did that showcase your expertise. Shoutouts are those moments when your unique actions or qualities really shone through.
For instance, if you're aiming for the "problem solver" label, keep track of times you've cracked tricky problems or come up with out-of-the-box solutions. Don't forget to jot down shoutouts that highlight your problem-solving chops.
Networking and Mentorship FTW
Networking and mentorship can clue you in on which labels are a hit in your organization. Plus, they can help you associate yourself with those labels. Have conversations about promotion-worthy labels with your boss, mentors, and colleagues. Guide those chats toward your chosen labels to gauge their reactions.
Get a Head Start on Label Selection
Don't wait for the performance review season to start thinking about labels. Discuss your chosen labels and your game plan to achieve them with your boss and colleagues ahead of time. This helps you control your narrative and steer discussions toward your chosen labels.
Wrapping Up
To give your career a turbo boost, you need to pick labels that spotlight your wins and support your advancement. Keeping track of your achievements and shoutouts means you always have solid evidence to back up your chosen labels when you're chatting with your boss and colleagues. And the more you have these conversations, the more they'll see that those labels fit you to a T.
Time to take charge of your career narrative. Start tracking your wins with chea seed today!