How Women Rise by Sally Helgesen & Marshall Goldsmith

Author:Sally Helgesen & Marshall Goldsmith [Helgesen, Sally]
Language: eng
Format: azw3
Publisher: Hachette Books
Published: 2018-04-09T16:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 10

Habit 6: Putting Your Job Before Your Career

We frequently work with smart, talented, hardworking women who quickly ascend to a certain level and then remain there for an unusually long time. These women often rationalize their situation, citing things they like about their jobs, such as the comfort of long-term relationships and being able to use skills they’ve had a chance to hone.

But deep down, many of them feel frustrated. They watch colleagues who entered the company in the same year they did sail past them. They see someone they hired snag a high-profile job they’d hoped for. They watch their salary increase by tiny increments despite outstanding performance, because their company’s policies peg salary to position.

If you find yourself stuck like this, you may have devoted so much time and energy to doing your job superbly that you’ve neglected to take the steps needed to propel you to the next level. Maybe you haven’t built the visibility and connections you need to create a demand for your skills. Maybe you’ve sent so many signals that you enjoy being where you are that people no longer think of your name when a higher-level position opens up.

If this describes you, you’re probably focusing on your job at the expense of your career. You’re looking at what’s on your plate now instead of seeing the big picture. You’re sacrificing your long-term prospects on the altar of today.

Of course, you may love your job and feel it’s a great fit, so your reluctance is understandable. But remaining stuck is never a good idea. Staying in the same job too long undermines your long-term satisfaction and feelings of self-worth. It diminishes your ability to have an impact, as well as your earning potential. It sidelines you and sends a message that you don’t believe you deserve better.

Why does this happen so often with women? Is there an underlying reason? Of course, your organization may be more challenging for you than for men who fit the boss’s image of a real up-and-comer. But often there’s something else at play. Perhaps you feel undecided about what you really want to do and let your uncertainty paralyze your ability to act. Or maybe you’re temperamentally averse to risk.

But in our experience, the most common reason women put their job before their career is rooted in one of their greatest virtues: loyalty.

Research shows that loyalty is a primary reason women tend to stay in their jobs longer than men. It’s a virtue that can easily become a trap. The desire to be loyal can lead you to neglect your future, sacrifice your ambitions, and sell your talent and potential short. Others may benefit, but you do not.

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