Are You Headed for the Corner Office?

Who gets the corner office? The woman who maneuvers and manipulates? The woman who is constantly pleasing?

Whether you are a business woman, entrepreneur or corporate leader in training – your goal of the corner office is commendable.

The woman who gets the corner office has these top 5 traits. These empowering traits, preferably habits, will sharpen your focus while on the path to the corner office. Ignore any suggestions of ‘hoping’ to reach the corner office or being satisfied with a view onto the back alley.

Women are asserting their earned right to be seated at the table and occupy the corner office. Genuinely deserving the corner office doesn’t come because of your good looks or from who you know. Not for the worthy woman.

Here are the top 5 traits of what will get you into the corner office:

1. Stop your whining. There’s no excuse for doing a half-ass job. If you don’t have the necessary skill set, get trained. Read. Learn. Obsess. Whatever you do, don’t whine about what you can’t do, don’t want to do or resources not available. Make it happen.

The woman who gets noticed and garners positive impressions is the one who gets the job done. I guarantee if you refuse, you won’t be headed to the corner office any time soon.

2. Exercise your gut. Listen to your intuition. Trust it. Take the risk and follow it. Step up and step out into the world of expressing what you know. Shyness and helplessness are not your friends.

Stop looking for or expecting a ‘knight in shining armor.’ You are capable of showing your creativity, your spunk and your genius without the crutch of a man. Your ideas and contributions need to be strong to stand on their own two feet.

3. Be willing to walk away. Before you walk away, let them know what they will be missing. Believe in your value and worth. Better yet package it to be irresistible. Decision makers and promoters have a hard time turning away quality and excellence.

Always have a Plan B in your pocket. Alternative plans are not for the weak - they are for the prepared. This will let you freely make decisions on what is best for you, from the working environment to your life-long goals.

4. Speak the unspeakable. Yes, the Emperor has no clothes. Get fed up with indulging at any cost, or the sucking up scenario. The only thing you get is twisted, puffy lips and a sore self-esteem. Not to mention, promotions that may not last long. Not worth it.

When you see B.S. call it B.S. You will gain more respect and credibility than the ninny who goes along to get along. However, remain tactful and strategic with your input and observations. Win the war by purposefully picking your battles.

5. Be kind to everyone on the way up. If you have mistreated people, been a phony, lied, cheated or slept your way to the corner office, then you don’t deserve it. You have, in short, become the antithesis to what truly makes a woman remarkable and admired.

Stop and think before you enter into ANY relationship or action that qualifies you as the most undeserving woman in the corner office. Honey goes a lot further than vinegar. Eat it regularly.

The corner office is the reward for paying your dues, being honest and self-asserting, rising above fear and compromise. The woman in the corner office is a role model for other women who want to make their mark on the world of work. This is not a road taken lightly or an endeavor to enter into haphazardly. Use your talent, skills and wits to not only reach the corner office but enjoy the journey to it.