Why women need to expand their professional circles

Many of my female #coaching clients struggle to build and leverage powerful social networks, which can limit their career opportunities. Many women feel uncomfortable "bragging" about their accomplishments, preferring instead to rely on good performance as a primary career strategy. Furthermore, research shows that when they do talk about their accomplishments, doing so has a less positive impact than when men do the same thing. This new research from Carla Rua-Gomez, Gianluca Carnabuci, and Martin C. Goossen shows that women are well served by building high-status networks through shared connections. Women are about one-third more likely than men to form high-status connections via a third-party tie. "Third-party ties serve as bridges, connecting individuals to a high-status network that might otherwise remain out of reach. Such ties help both men and women forge valuable professional connections. But why are third-party ties especially beneficial for women? Because they are not mere connections; they are endorsements, character references, and amplifiers of capability. They carry the implicit approval and trust of the mutual contact. When a respected colleague introduces a woman to a high-status individual, that introduction comes with a subtext of credibility. It signals to the high-status connection that the woman has already been vetted and deemed competent by someone they trust. This endorsement can be a critical factor in gaining access to circles that might otherwise remain closed off due to conscious or unconscious biases." #careerstrategies #women #networking https://lnkd.in/eDBqbQcG

I've noticed something during every round of layoffs and budget cuts: When budgets get slashed and teams get reorganized, the first thing that usually goes? Professional development, networking events, and "nice to have" spending. But here's what I've learned after a decade in cybersecurity: The women who weather industry storms best aren't the ones who hunker down and hope for the best... ...They're the ones who double down on community. At events like the Hacker in Heels Salon, magic happens around those tables. Women share intel about hidden job markets. They brainstorm side hustles that could become full businesses. They form partnerships that lead to consulting gigs. Most importantly? They stop seeing each other as competition and start seeing each other as collaborators. When your employer can't guarantee your security, your community becomes your safety net. And those connections you make? They become your customers, your collaborators, your champions when you're ready to bet on yourself instead of waiting for someone else to recognize your worth. The women building wealth in cybersecurity aren't just climbing corporate ladders anymore. They're creating their own opportunities. If your employer won't invest in your networking and development right now, invest in it yourself. Because the women who thrive after layoffs and moments of adversity are the ones who never stopped connecting. #womenincybersecurity #cybersecurity #informationsecurity #boston #cyberjobs

After two decades of coaching high-achieving women leaders, I've observed something that rarely gets discussed in leadership circles. The higher you climb, the more isolated you become. Not by choice, but by circumstance. Recent data confirms what I see consistently: Women in top positions report 34% higher rates of workplace isolation than their male counterparts. More telling, 72% report having no safe space to process strategic challenges with peers who genuinely understand their position. This isn't about loneliness—it's about the absence of strategic thinking partners who operate at your caliber. The women who transform fastest aren't those with the most experience. They're the ones who recognize that their next breakthrough requires alliance, not just more individual effort. That's what drove me to create a space designed specifically for the unique challenges that only make sense to someone leading at the 0.5% level. I've written about this phenomenon and what becomes possible when exceptional women move from isolation to strategic alliance. The full piece explores why traditional networking falls short and how eight carefully selected women are pioneering a new leadership paradigm. Link to the full article is here below. The question isn't whether you've achieved enough to qualify for this conversation. It's whether you're ready to stop carrying the weight of leadership alone. #womeninleadership #ExecutiveCoaching #FemaleLeadership #MasterMind

Success can be isolating - but what if the cure for loneliness lies not in being less ambitious, dimming your light, or settling below your potential, but in connecting with others just as driven as you? We continue from our post yesterday, addressing women in leadership who identify as successful, yet feeling lonely or alone in their leadership journey. Now, for many women leaders, the pressures of leadership can create barriers to meaningful connections. However, research shows that support networks both within and outside of work are powerful antidotes to this isolation. Building these intentional connections provides the emotional support, authentic relationships, shared experiences, and practical support that help women leaders not just survive, but truly thrive. Fostering these networks can be a game-changer for you as a woman in leadership. Research from Harvard Business Review reveals that women in senior leadership roles often find it difficult to form genuine peer networks within their organizations. Thus, it becomes harder to find the emotional safety needed to discuss the unique pressures you face. Intentional networking with other women in leadership, both inside and outside of the organization, is crucial. These networks don’t just provide career advancement opportunities, but they create a space for shared experiences, where women can openly discuss challenges, strategies, and successes without fear of judgment. This area is personal to me because it was part of my experience as a senior leader. I had a couple of false starts as I began looking for help. The initial people I reached out to and ask for support were not able to grasp what it was that I was looking for. That was really disappointing. However, the need was still there. I continued to search and explore possible spaces I could fit in as well as peers who could relate with what I was going through. Step by step out of my comfort zone led me to a thriving support community that continues to this day. Research from HBR shows that leaders who have strong support networks experience higher resilience, better decision-making, and increased job satisfaction, all of which enhance both personal well-being and professional performance. Building a support network isn’t just a way to cope with loneliness. It is a pathway to more fulfilling and impactful leadership. When women leaders invest in authentic connections with friends, peers, mentors, and coaches, they open doors to shared wisdom, mutual encouragement, and new perspectives that empower them to lead with confidence. A supportive network essential for women leaders who want to thrive, inspire others, and create lasting change. Do you have a support network in place? Or, are you searching for one? #leadership #africa #leadershipdevelopment #professionalwomen #personaldevelopment

Guess what? Having Galentines Makes You More Successful. Women with an inner circle of close female contacts end up 2.5x times higher in pay and authority than women who do not have close female friends. In other words, your Galentines are also helping you get promoted and paid. This insight comes from Brian Uzzi, Yang Yang and Nitesh Chawla who analyzed 4.5 million emails to reach their conclusion. Why does having a close inner network of other women matter to your success? The authors hypothesize it’s because of information exchange: “This inner circle likely provides critical private information on job opportunities and challenges.” From my own experience, I think this is a yes and. Yes, other women provide information AND provide plain old-fashioned support. We need other women to help us pick ourselves back up when sh*t hits the fan. The workforce continues to ignore the additional 21 hours of unpaid labor we do weekly, we were up from 1-3am with a sick kid AND your arsehole colleague thinks now is a good time to comment on the fact that you look tired and maybe he should present this afternoon’s update to the Executive Board instead? No matter how incredible you are, the workplace wasn’t built for us and there are moments of gaslighting where we need our gals* to help us ignore the noise. We also need a safe place to celebrate wins. One of my friends recently earned a huge promotion. She texted us and then noted “It’s weird how careful I have to be about who I celebrate this with”. The world can have mixed feelings about successful women (research shows we are 3x more likely to be trolled than our male counterparts) and it’s nice to have a place to just celebrate your wins with folks who are genuinely happy for you.  🍾 One final thought: the research points to women needing an inner circle of other women, but in my personal experience, 'gals' is a gender-neutral role – it’s someone whom you trust, and who you can be honest with, regardless of gender. So, to all the folks out there who are someone’s Galentine - THANK YOU.  It matters. ❤️ Tag your Galentines!

Success as a founder isn’t just about what you know - it’s about who’s in your circle. Traditional networking is broken—especially for female founders. Success comes from real connections: authentic, lasting relationships built on trust, shared experiences, and mutual support. While starting Ritual, I realized the importance of connecting with like-minded founders. In the below WWD article (thanks for including me, Kathryn Hopkins) I talk about how a chance connection with Sarah Gibson Tuttle grew into regular group dinners among female founders, and now continues as a busy WhatsApp group where we share fundraising tips, scaling strategies - and honestly, the highs and lows that come with being a female founder. In a system where female-founded companies still receive just a fraction of VC funding, spaces like this matter. They create the trust and collaboration we need to succeed. When women connect, we do more than exchange advice—we rise together. And we need to, because the system wasn’t built for us. So, if you are a female founder - in any space - I ask you…. are you building authentic connections, or are you still stuck in the old rules of networking? Check out the article here: https://lnkd.in/g6vJ2FmW #FemaleFounders #RiseTogether #WomenInBusiness