Breaking the credentials paradox for women

A career cheat code I wish I knew at 24: Your excellence isn't self-evident. You have to make it visible. Most women aren't struggling with visibility. They're struggling with the penalty for creating it. Women are 28% less likely to self-promote their work. (Nature Communications, 2025) Not because of confidence. Because of consequences. The career paradox every ambitious woman faces: Self-promote and risk being labeled "too much." Stay quiet and watch less qualified colleagues advance. Your brilliant work alone won't get you promoted. Your excellence isn't self-evident. Your impact isn't automatically tracked. Here's how to create strategic visibility without the backlash: 1️⃣ Shift from self-promotion to value documentation ❌ "I'm really good at strategic planning" ✅ "The framework I developed increased client retention by 14%" ❌ Waiting to be discovered ✅ Consistently connecting your work to business outcomes 2️⃣ Master the "We + I" method → Start with team success: "Our project delivered impressive results..." → Add your specific contribution: "...where I designed the approach that..." → Connect to broader impact: "...helping us exceed targets by 18%." 3️⃣ Build your visibility network → Cultivate peers who amplify your contributions → Brief your manager before meetings on what you'll showcase → Exchange visibility support with other women The strategic difference: Self-promotion says "Look at me." Strategic visibility says "Look at this value." My client Maria used these exact techniques after feeling invisible for 3 years. Within 6 months, she received the promotion that had eluded her, with her manager specifically citing her "newfound ability to articulate her impact." Your work deserves to be seen. Your contributions deserve recognition. Your advancement shouldn't depend on your comfort with self-promotion. What's one small visibility step you'll take this week? 🔁 Repost to help other women advance without sacrificing authenticity 🔔 Follow me (Julia Snedkova) for evidence-based strategies that help ambitious women lead with confidence

When will we stop saying things like this to women? I saw this Forbes article today: “5 Reasons Why Likability is the Secret to Your Career.” On the surface, it sounds harmless, even helpful. But advice like this, offered without nuance or context, isn't just outdated. It’s dangerous, especially for women. The article doesn’t mention gender once. But we can’t talk about likability and career success without talking about the double bind women face every day. Research from Catalyst and Harvard Business Review shows that women are often penalised for exhibiting the same confidence that earns men praise, while also being judged more harshly when they appear “too nice.” This likability paradox forces women to walk a narrow line: strong, but not too strong; kind, but not too soft. This isn’t just unfair - it’s exhausting. And telling women to simply “be more likable” reinforces a culture of shape-shifting and self-silencing that holds us back from rising in our careers as we are. Yes, relationships matter. But career success should be grounded in: - Leading with clarity and purpose - Owning your voice without apology - Building influence from credibility, not from being performative - Redefining success on your own terms, not someone else’s idea of what a “likable woman” looks like We don’t need more advice telling women to twist themselves into knots to fit in. We need more spaces where women are free to lead from authenticity, courage, and deep alignment. Let’s stop making likability the goal. And start making liberation from old ideas, biases and systems the goal. https://lnkd.in/gD_zBi5B

"She's been in Forbes, does she think she's too important to turn up now?"     This is an actual comment said to an employee of mine at an international women's day event, by a woman, to a woman, about a woman.   I couldn't attend an IWD networking event due to previous commitments and so decided to extend the invite to a team member, to network and absorb the incredible opportunity of celebrating international women's day, with a room full of my peers.   The irony of the comment vs the event and location was not lost on me and my team member was frankly, horrified.   But should we be surprised?   Research shows that women, must be liked to succeed at work.   The research also shows a negative correlation between success and likeability that correlates in the opposite direction to men.   As a woman, there is a statistical truth that the more successful you are, the more you will be disliked.   The person who made the comment..   "She's been in Forbes, does she think she's too important to turn up now?"   Literally cited a recent success.. and then closed off with a negative comment, connecting the first, to the second, probably without even realising what they'd done. (Because most misogyny is subconscious)   This, is the likeability paradox.   This negativity towards confidence in women leads many of us to use ‘softeners’ in person, in conversations and emails, adapting our language to appear apologetic or unsure when making a point.   If you’ve ever added the phrase “I just wanted to check” to the end of a statement, finished off a directive with “If that makes sense?” or written “I might be wrong” in an email when you know you’re not, you’ll recognise this pattern.   But what do we do?   Ultimately, until we dismantle the gender stereotypes instilled in all of us from childhood and begin to change the narrative when it comes to how different genders present, both men and women will always encounter bias and make subconscious assumptions.   The best way to combat the likeability paradox in the meantime is to recognise when it’s happening.. Both to you, and when you’re the culprit – and challenge it when you can, in yourself and in others.

A Delicate Balance: Building Your Profile as a Woman in Professional Services. Having coached hundreds of professional services associates and partners, I've witnessed personally how women often hesitate to build their public profiles. Women, no matter how talented, frequently face what I think of as the " female reputation building paradox.” - that is being judged for both speaking up and staying quiet. A recent FT article by Anjli Raval perfectly captures this challenge. Here's what I've learned works, based on supporting countless women. 🔹 Start Small, Start Early Don't wait until you're in a senior position. Begin crafting your professional voice from day one and do it authentically. Co-author articles with senior colleagues. Share insights about projects (within confidentiality bounds). Discuss industry trends you're observing. It's not about self-promotion - it's about contributing to professional dialogue. 🔹 Build Your Support System I've seen the most successful women professionals cultivate their networks early. Connect with marketing and communications colleagues within your firm. Find more senior colleagues who have navigated this path. Join professional networks where you can practise using your voice in a supportive environment. 🔹 Focus on Value-Add Content Share insights that help others. What challenges are you solving? What trends are you noticing? What lessons have you learned? This approach, as personal branding expert ALIZA LICHT notes, shapes "a narrative that is both elegant and appropriate." 🔹 Remember Why It Matters As Ruth Handcock of Octopus Money points out, we have "a moral duty to prove to the next generation that “you can see and therefore you can be.”” Every woman who thoughtfully builds her professional presence creates momentum for others. The path to building a strong professional profile as a woman isn't about following loud, self-promotional methods. It's about consistently sharing valuable insights, building genuine connections, and remembering that your voice matters - not just for you, but for all the women who will come after you. What strategies have you found effective in building your professional presence or coaching others?

What got you here won’t get you there. 10 myths keeping ambitious women stuck   (and how to break free) I see it every day. Brilliant women following advice that holds them back. I did it too, for years. Until I realized something crucial: These aren't just myths - they're career killers. 1/ The Effort Illusion ❌ "Just work harder than everyone else" ↳ Working harder makes you indispensable, not promotable ✅ Instead: Focus on high-visibility projects and delegate routine tasks 2/ The Modesty Trap ❌ "Results speak for themselves" ↳ While you deliver, others shape the narrative of their success ✅ Instead: Actively communicate your achievements and impact to key stakeholders 3/ The Patience Penalty ❌ "Wait to be recognized" ↳ Leadership roles are claimed, not granted ✅ Instead: Voice your career goals and actively pursue leadership opportunities 4/ The Humility Handicap ❌ "Stay humble and minimize achievements" ↳ Your humility is being misread as lack of ambition ✅ Instead: Own your successes and articulate your value with confidence 5/ The Likeability Tax ❌ "Focus on being liked" ↳ Being respected drives promotions, not being nice ✅ Instead: Make decisions based on business impact, not popularity 6/ The Readiness Myth ❌ "Keep your head down until you're 100% ready" ↳ Men raise their hands at 60% - and get selected ✅ Instead: Apply for roles when you meet 60% of criteria and grow into the rest 7/ The Expertise Paradox ❌ "Build deeper expertise" ↳ Strategic influence trumps technical mastery ✅ Instead: Focus on building strategic relationships and business acumen 8/ The Team Player Syndrome ❌ "Be the team player" ↳ While making others shine, you become invisible ✅ Instead: Balance team support with visible leadership of key initiatives 9/ The Timing Trap ❌ "Wait for the perfect moment" ↳ There's no perfect time - only missed opportunities ✅ Instead: Create opportunities and take calculated risks now 10/ The Safety Illusion ❌ "Don't rock the boat" ↳ Playing it safe keeps you stuck while others advance ✅ Instead: Challenge status quo with data-backed solutions and fresh perspectives Breaking free from these myths is your first step to having the respect, income and recognition you deserve. Which myth has held you back the most? Share below -  you might help someone else recognize they're falling for the same myth. P.S: Want to learn how to overcome these myths and advance in your career? DM me “READY”. — ♻️ Repost this to help your network break free of these 10 myths. 🔔 Follow Maharukh Dalal for more leadership and career advancement tips