Assessing Your Professional Impact: Are You Making a Positive Difference at Work?
Many women (and men) in procurement aspire to make a positive difference at work, and a significant percentage aspire to be a leader of some sort. But as a leader, how can you be sure you’re making a difference?
Whether we like it or not, we use the internet to make sense of the world around us. In a nutshell, we assess ourselves against what we see. And if you Google image search ‘CEO + United States’ or ‘Business Leader + Australia’, you’ll find a whole lot of … white males. Even though Google claimed to have fixed this bias back in 2015, researchers at the University of Washington discovered that it isn’t really fixed at all.
So, is this the standard we are all judging ourselves against? Does a ‘leader’ need to look and act like a man? Is that what impact looks like? And if so, how can we, as women in procurement, really be sure that we’re making a positive difference at work?
Behaving like a man in order to be successful
One pervasive and harmful myth that still finds its way consciously and unconsciously into many women in procurement’s minds is that they need to act like a man in order to be successful, especially when it comes to climbing the corporate ladder.
This behaviour typically involves strength, dominance, bullish confidence and little emotion. But while this can feel like the ‘right’ formula, it’s problematic for many reasons, says M.L. Peck, Chief Content and Engagement Officer at the Institute for Supply Management (ISM).
“I’ve had the fortune to work with women who brought an inherent, feminine ability to collaborate, empathise, multitask and problem-solve to their teams.
These qualities are often overlooked and under-represented in the workplace, where we expect our leaders to be hierarchical and dictatorial in approach. In procurement, particularly, collaboration is key.
The characteristics attributed to women are the ones that all of our future leaders will need – you can bet that millennials and generation Z won’t want to work in a male-dominated environment.”
Female leaders are not just needed for better functioning workplaces, there’s also needed for the future of the planet – quite literally. Research from the European Investment Bank shows that female leaders are much more likely to support sustainability and climate change initiatives, hence will be key as the world continues to warm.
What does a positive difference at work look like?
If success is not about looking and acting like a man, then what is it?
The reality is that a positive difference at work may look different depending on your individual values and workplace, and what success means to you personally.
But from a more holistic perspective, especially given the pervasive and ongoing challenges women experience in procurement, we believe that success for women in procurement alway extends beyond personal achievements. It also encompasses fostering an environment of inclusivity, equal opportunities, and professional growth.
Here are Procurious, we strongly believe that a workplace where women in procurement thrive should be characterised by effective mentorship programs, sponsorship initiatives, and a commitment to closing gender gaps. Leaders in this type of environment will encourage diverse perspectives and collaboration, and recognise everyone’s unique strengths. And in this environment, success will be measured not by individual accomplishments, but by the collective growth and empowerment of the team. Now, that’s the type of leader we think will make a positive difference.
Mastering communication to make a positive difference
Leadership can mean many different things to different women in procurement. Perhaps you’re aspiring to be a CPO or perhaps you want to lead ESG-driven procurement. Whatever type of leader you want to be, you can absolutely contribute to creating a more diverse, collaborative environment.
But you can’t do this without exceptional communication skills.
Effective communication is a cornerstone of success in any professional setting, and in procurement, it plays a pivotal role in building relationships, managing conflicts, and driving successful negotiations. For women in procurement, mastering effective communication involves a combination of assertiveness, active listening, and the creation of an open and inclusive workplace culture.
And do you need to communicate ‘like to man’ to do this? Absolutely not. Instead, you should embrace your unique communication style. Ensure that your communication is authentic, empathetic, and impactful … and that it paves the way for future generations of women in procurement to thrive and succeed.
Do you want to learn how to embrace your unique communication style and make a difference not only for your own career, but for your entire team and organisation? Our BRAVO women’s leadership program will show you how to do this, plus much more.
To find out more about the 2024 BRAVO Program, please click your region below:
