How Women Can Change the World

Women need to support other women. Full stop.

Stop being a self-centred "you know what" and start celebrating and supporting other women. We will only change the world by having more women at the table and being in business through our courage and community - and women supporting women! Hear me roar! Share below what YOU can do today to help another woman.

There is a beautiful place in heaven for women who support women.

Absolutely, supporting one another is crucial, especially in a world where women often face unique challenges. Women helping women can lead to empowerment, solidarity, and progress. Whether in the workplace, community, or personal relationships, lifting each other can create positive change and opportunities for all.

What are Some Ways You Think Women Can Support Each Other?

There are countless ways women can support each other! Here are a few examples:

1. Mentorship: Experienced women can mentor younger women or those new to their field, offering guidance, advice, and support.
2. Networking: Women can help each other make professional connections by introducing them to key contacts or recommending them for opportunities.
3. Advocacy: Women can advocate for each other's rights and equality, both in their personal and professional lives, helping to break down barriers and challenge stereotypes.
4. Emotional support: Building solid friendships and networks where women can lean on each other during tough times can be incredibly valuable.
5. Celebrating achievements: Recognizing and celebrating each other's successes helps build confidence and fosters a culture of support and encouragement.
6. Creating safe spaces: Women can work together to create safe and inclusive environments where everyone feels heard, respected, and valued.
7. Supporting women-led businesses: Women can buy services and products from women-founded and led businesses.

These are just a few ideas, but the possibilities for women supporting women are endless! Any others?

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How do Women Lift Other Women in Their Careers and Businesses?

Women lifting other women in their careers and businesses can take various forms:

1. Promoting Each Other: Women can encourage each other's work by sharing their achievements on social media, recommending them for opportunities, or endorsing their skills and expertise.
2. Collaboration: Working together on projects or collaborations can help women amplify each other's voices and reach broader audiences. This can include joint ventures, partnerships, or co-authoring articles or books.
3. Providing Resources and Information: Sharing resources, industry insights, and valuable information can help women navigate their careers and businesses more effectively. This can include sharing job openings, business tips, or relevant articles and research.
4. Offering Mentorship and Coaching: Mentorship or coaching can be incredibly impactful in helping other women navigate challenges, develop skills, and advance in their careers or businesses.
5. Creating Supportive Communities: Establishing or participating in communities, networks, or professional groups specifically for women can provide valuable support, networking opportunities, and a sense of belonging.
6. Financial Support: Investing in women-owned businesses, supporting crowdfunding campaigns, or providing financial assistance through grants or loans can help women overcome economic barriers and achieve their entrepreneurial goals.
7. Challenging Gender Biases and Stereotypes: Women can support each other by challenging gender biases and stereotypes in the workplace and beyond, advocating for equal opportunities and fair treatment.
8. Celebrating Successes: Recognizing and celebrating the achievements of other women in their careers and businesses can help foster a culture of support and encouragement.

By actively engaging in these practices, women can create a more inclusive and supportive environment where everyone has the opportunity to thrive.

Helping Women Reach Their Highest Potential

One 2015 study revealed that women who had supportive female networks were more likely to advance in their careers than those who did not. The study, which surveyed 118 companies and over 30,000 employees, found that women with access to senior-level women sponsors were 26% more likely to have been promoted in the past year. Another study emphasized the importance of mentorship for women in leadership roles. The study highlighted the following benefits of mentorship for women in leadership:

1. Access to knowledge and expertise: Mentors can provide women with valuable insights, skills, and knowledge about their industry or profession. This can help women develop the skills and knowledge they need to succeed in leadership roles.
2. Networking opportunities: Mentors can introduce women to their professional networks, providing new opportunities to connect with others, build relationships, and advance their careers.
3. Emotional support: Mentors can provide emotional support, encouragement, and validation to women who may face discrimination, bias, or other challenges in their careers.
4. Role modelling: Mentors can be positive role models for women, demonstrating what it takes to succeed in leadership roles and helping them visualize their potential for success.

Why Women Supporting Women Will Break Gender Bias

Women supporting women can play a significant role in breaking down gender bias for several reasons:

1. Visibility and Representation: When women support each other, they can elevate each other's voices and visibility in various industries and sectors. This increased representation helps challenge stereotypes and perceptions about women's capabilities and contributions.
2. Challenge to Stereotypes: By demonstrating solidarity and collaboration, women can challenge stereotypes that suggest women are inherently competitive or unsupportive of each other. This can help reshape societal attitudes and expectations surrounding women's relationships and behaviours.
3. Building Networks and Opportunities: Women supporting women can create networks and opportunities for each other, providing access to mentorship, career advancement, and business growth. This helps counteract systemic barriers that may disproportionately affect women's progress in male-dominated fields or industries.
4. Collective Advocacy: When women come together to support each other, they can advocate for systemic changes that address gender bias and discrimination. This collective advocacy can lead to policy reforms, workplace initiatives, and cultural shifts that promote gender equality and inclusion.
5. Empowerment and Confidence: Supporting and uplifting each other can boost women's confidence and sense of empowerment, enabling them to challenge gender bias and discrimination more effectively. This empowerment can have a ripple effect, inspiring other women to assert themselves and demand equal treatment.
6. Cultural Change: Over time, widespread support and solidarity among women can contribute to broader cultural change. As more people witness and participate in women supporting women, it becomes increasingly normalized and accepted, leading to a shift in societal norms and attitudes.

Overall, women supporting women foster a sense of unity, empowerment, and resilience that can help dismantle the entrenched structures of gender bias and create a more equitable and inclusive society.

By Sonia McDonald, CEO of LeadershipHQ and Outstanding Leadership Awards, Leadership Coach, Global Keynote Speaker, Entrepreneur, CEO, and Award-Winning Author.

Book Sonia today for your 2024 Event, Workshop or Conference!