The influential woman consists of an array of qualities that are not mistaken for anything other than influential. She is strong. She is confident. People take notice when she walks into the room. She commands the respect that she has earned.
Every woman can be an influential woman. But it doesn't happen without effort on your part. Where do you start? How do you recognize influential traits?
The influential woman knows her mind. She has a heighten awareness of what she wants. Knowing and displaying her competencies, she approaches her life with self-reliance. She has a high emotional intelligence, identifying, assessing and influencing her emotions as well as others. For example, she discovers a co-worker that she relies on isn't delivering on time. She doesn't rush in, ready to explode. She evaluates the situation; the consequences, ways to solve the issue, who's involved and what is to be learned from it. This happens in a few minutes for the influential women.
The influential woman evaluates the potential of every situation, so she can know what and how much she needs to invest in it. She asks herself these three very valuable questions:
• What will this opportunity do for me?
• What are the possible challenges or problems of this opportunity?
• What is required of me to grasp this opportunity?
Guarding her boundaries is another top quality of the influential woman. She knows when to say yes but equally when to say no. If the request violates her boundaries or ethical standards, she can quickly provide an alternative option or put her foot down. This applies in her personal and professional life. Working with integrity is an absolute.
The influential woman knows how to compete with the "big boys." She doesn't apologize for being ambitious and wanting more. Being a "small player" doesn't discourage her. She knows how to offer more, better and smarter. She sees herself as agile, able to act quickly and use her power.
The influential woman knows the power of forgiveness, compassion, and generosity. She knows how to claim her place in the world, and so can you.
Karen Keller, Ph.D. is an expert in women's leadership and assertiveness training. She specializes in the skills of influence and persuasion, executive coaching, mentoring, sales techniques, management development training, personal life coaching, and corporate training. Discover the Real POWER for Women now!