From advances in science to movements in activism, women across the globe have been doing amazing and praise-worthy things since the dawn of time. Unfortunately, these accomplishments are oftentimes dismissed, overlooked, and ignored when it comes to drawing inspiration and learning insightful lessons.
Thankfully, men looking to become more successful can find ample lessons, tips, and insights in the stories of women from throughout the ages.
Given the overwhelming number of successful women who have done amazing things, it can be difficult to know where to start looking for lessons. As such, a little bit of guidance can make the process easier and more accessible.
Here are a few things men can learn from successful women.
You Don’t Need the Approval of Others
As humans, we’re wired to want to fit in and be accepted by others. Unfortunately, when it comes to taking big swings and chasing success, there are almost always naysayers that will come out of the woodwork to give you an endless number of reasons why you can’t do something. And while it may be hard, it’s necessary to drown out the negativity and convince yourself that you don’t need the approval of others to chase your dreams and achieve your goals.
Throughout history, there’s no shortage of examples of women chasing their dreams who were told that they couldn’t and shouldn’t do things.
For example, women in American civil rights history were told over and over by others that they shouldn’t have the rights that they were fighting for. If they had listened, women may not have ever gained the right to vote in the United States.
From the Seneca Falls conventions to countless protests, women in America have shown time and time again the value of having conviction in one’s beliefs regardless of whether or not others disapprove.
In fact, it seems more than likely that these undeniably courageous and laudable women let the disapproving voices fuel their efforts and energize them with confidence, conviction, and self-belief. Men can use the stories of inspiring women as their role models to drown out the naysayers and seek success without needing the approval of others.
Be Sensitive to the Emotions of Others
As men, we’re far less inclined to be sensitive to the emotions of others as we go through our lives than our women counterparts. While there are exceptions, it seems more than likely that everyone has had an experience in life when they witnessed a woman showing a higher degree of emotional intelligence than a man.
As it pertains to success, being able to interact with others effectively and address their needs is an essential skill in almost any industry.
For men looking for inspiration in this arena, it can be helpful to look to the many inspirational women in business and tech. One study conducted on leaders in organizations found that women leaders scored an average of 13% higher than their male leader counterparts when it came to testing levels of interpersonal sensitivity.
In addition, another study found that organizations in the Fortune 500 that hired three or more women in leadership or management positions experienced a whopping 66% increase in their ROI. From the outside, it seems likely that there is a correlation between increased interpersonal sensitivity in leaders and increased organizational success.
Those looking to rise the ranks in an organization and find success as a leader can take a valuable lesson from women leaders. The better one’s interpersonal sensitivity, the more capable one is of leading an organization and find success.
Accordingly, any man chasing success can take this valuable lesson from women in leadership positions and utilize it to help them in their own careers.
Let Others Shine
Unfortunately, many men out there are inherently competitive and feel a need to assert themselves as more valuable than everyone else around them. While working hard and being ambitious is great, this overly competitive nature can sometimes cause men to want others around them to fail so that they themselves can be seen as the best. When it comes to any team, group, or organization, wanting others to fail is never a good thing.
In many ways, though they are no less ambitious and committed to accomplishing their goals, successful women do not feel the need to be better than everyone else around them.
Instead, women in leadership positions often praise those around them and give them ample opportunities to do amazing things themself. When it comes to accomplishing a goal as a group, having everyone doing their absolute best work is an obvious state to strive for.
Looking to successful women for inspiration on how to collaborate can be an amazing way for men to start bringing the best out of everyone around them. By being self-aware and recognizing one’s irrational need to be seen as the best, men can become better leaders and collaborators that help organizations reach their goals and find success.
Successful Women Are Powerful Resources for Men
While many men looking for inspiration typically look to successful men for insights, successful women are powerful resources that can provide meaningful lessons. Accordingly, anyone intent on becoming more successful can have an easier time doing so by following the examples of inspirational women who have found success in various fields.
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This post is made possible by Andrew Deen.
Photo credit: iStock.com