SHE THINKS LIKE HERSELF

There is this notion that in order to be successful you must think like a man! What does that actually mean for women today? Well I believe it means you have to be ruthless and somehow be able to grow balls to even play the game. It is fair to say that women tend to bring their emotions and hearts into whatever it is they are doing, this is just how we are made. Men on the other hand have a natural instinct to hunt and conquer. They have a slightly different disposition to us women and that works very well. They see things very black and white and tend to stay focused on what it is they are trying to hunt, this is how they are made. Either one of these dispositions should not be seen as more superior or negative towards becoming successful in whatever you choose to do. But what strikes me odd in today’s world is how we women have actually told ourselves that we must think like a man to be successful and completely ignore the fact that bringing our emotions and hearts into what we do can actually make us more successful than we give ourselves credit for. I work in a male dominated world and have sat in many meetings where I have been made to feel like a secondary contributor because I am a woman, because I am more emotional than my male counter parts and like to express myself using more than just a few words. But what I have noticed is that the so called “thinking like a man” is too black and white, and that having a few colours thrown in there allows for more thought before a series of serious decisions are made. This black and white way of thinking can have a positive impact but can sometimes wastes time and money. Those so called powerful and successful men usually have a woman behind them adding heart and emotions into their everyday dilemmas and decisions. Everyone knows it but SHE never gets the recognition she deserves. And worse of all SHE accepts it and carries on. When I was younger and let’s be honest naive I would let others brush over me when I spoke or contributed because I was brought up to think that the man is superior and basically that is how it was. I would watch my equal male counterparts get the respect they deserved when speaking because they were men. I do not blame the men in the room for making me feel the way I was made to feel but rather myself for not knowing better. I wisened up and made sure that I was given the respect I deserved by allowing myself to express my opinion. I had to respect myself enough to say “wait a minute I am speaking” or “let me finish". It usually takes people by surprise and unless you state to the world what you will or will not condone then you will be overlooked or pushed into the seat you allow yourself to take. We don’t seem to realise the power we have to be that woman. Self-belief is such an important part of being successful in whatever it is we want to do. No man or woman for that matter can tell you that your dream, opinion, thoughts or desires are secondary unless you accept that as fact. You don’t have to think like a man to be successful, you just have to think like yourself and believe in what it is you want to achieve. Art and article by Sarah Martin www.sherepublic.co.uk