The Power of Women’s Networks
The TARA Women’s Empowerment Network was launched in September this year, with a group of highly engaged, dynamic and like-minded women. Our growing network consists of over 100 working women from different backgrounds and industries with one common aim; to empower and be empowered. The thinking behind forming this network is simple: empowerment begins with women. When women are empowered, they will and do reciprocate. The TARA tag line, therefore, is: “Empowered, by Women”
In my work as a Women’s Motivational Speaker and Coach, I am constantly amazed at the resilience and strength of women. I have met women who have struggled with divorce, single-parented children whilst caring for ailing parents, dealt with the life-long scars of childhood harassment, faced impending death and illness, been orphaned too early and, the worst nightmare of all, watched the demise of her own child. But, despite the searing despair and hopelessness that each of these women felt, they continued, and often succeeded, in their career journey.
I know that every woman has a story; one that must be shared and will touch and inspire another woman. Most of the women I know who prevailed despite much hardship, asked and received support, when they were ready. They inevitably worked very hard to succeed professionally and had a wide network of male and female contacts. These women are the pillars of our strength from whom we can learn, grow and be empowered.
Working women around the World face numerous issues including gender related stereo-typing, biases, pay gaps, lack of policies and infrastructure for career advancement, cultural inhibitions, unsupportive families and partners as well as workplace harassment. Whilst all of these concerns must be addressed in our career journey, there is another inhibitor that is highly present and the most damaging; the woman, herself. As working women, we are plagued with our own self-limiting beliefs, lack of confidence, inability to ‘lean in’ for prime opportunities and leadership roles and guilt over leaving our kids. In addition, we feel the tremendous weight of parenting mostly on our shoulders, that we must strive to be ‘super-moms’ and get it all done by ourselves whilst, somehow, maintaining our sanity.
The work-place is changing. Organizations are slowly moving towards gender parity, bridging the pay gap, addressing biases and providing the necessary infrastructure for women to be successful as professionals, mothers and wives. Simultaneously, some of our partners are playing more of an equal role to support us with home and child care responsibilities whilst appreciating that women can and do aspire to achieve professional success. However, we are not there yet. In fact, we are not even close. Therefore, we need all the help we can get.
Whilst the wheels of change are moving slowly in the right direction, I believe that women have the power to succeed within themselves and with the support of other women. A Women’s Network will do just that.
External professional women’s networks, like TARA, are important for women who aspire for professional success. They serve many vital purposes including lobbying, information sharing, learning and mentoring. Networks provide working women with a safe place to connect, communicate, discuss and share common experiences and issues.
Should you join a Women’s Network?
If you are wondering if a women’s network is simply a group of women who meet and socialize and that such networks will not do much for your career, please read on.
1. Networking with Women is Invaluable!
The importance of networking for professional women cannot be emphasized enough. Women’s Networks enable members to network with peers and senior leaders. But, what is more important is that a network of women who you trust and will support you, are also very likely to help you with connections, job opportunities and advice.
My first boss, Marlene, who is now a sort of foster-mother to me, was one of my earliest supporters who not only went out of her way to empower me but also backed me up when I had work-related difficulties. Talk to a few successful women about their success. I know that they will tell you that a good part of their success came from their “tribe” of female supporters.
2. It’s Therapeutic!
Talking about an issue or an experience that you have been through, is good for you whilst offering an empathetic ear is mutually beneficial. Within the safe confines of a Women’s Network, you will have opportunities to discuss issues around family, marriage, illness and work — not something that you can readily do with your male colleagues!
3. Should you ‘Sharpen Your Saw’?
Women’s Networks will strive hard to educate members on topics of interest that will give them the tools to succeed both at work and in life. The overriding premise of a successful women’s network will be to enable women to grow and thrive by empowering themselves and each other. When there are more women in leadership and senior management, there will be a shift in the glass ceiling. These empowered women will pave the way to enable younger women to achieve professional success.
4. Are you Inspired by Role models?
Listening to successful women discuss how they got to where they are is a proven method of helping women overcome their own fears and self-doubt. Hearing that a successful C-suite woman had to deal with issues with say her boss or children, can be extremely inspiring. When women share their stories of strength, resilience and courage in the face of adversity, it propels other women to take an action, make a move, or reach out to someone to move ahead. Learning from other women and their own stories is something we need to do at all stages of life; early in your career or later. In my own network, we have a “TARA Spotlight” at our meetings, when a member bravely volunteers to share her story. Relating your experiences is not just cathartic for you, hearing your story will undoubtedly inspire and move other women.
5. Find your Mentor!
A women’s network is an ideal place to seek out a mentor who can be pivotal to your success. Sheryl Sandberg cautions us to find a mentor with whom you have “a real and earned connection felt by both sides.”
Rather than approaching a potential mentor who you admire but is a total stranger, a Women’s network will give you opportunities to get to know someone who you admire, wants to partner with you in your career growth and sees a symbiotic relationship by knowing you!
6. Are you Aware (or need to raise awareness) of women’s issues?
Women’s Networks raise awareness about women’s unmet needs and issues in the workplace that may not otherwise be addressed. Although the fight for equality for women cannot be fought by women alone, the first step in our march forward begins with knowledge. As a woman, a mother, or a career professional, you must be aware of the challenges we face, the biases, the statistics and what can be done to address them. We will, thereby, ultimately gain advantages not just for ourselves but for our organizations, families and nations.
7. Banish the Queen Bee!
We must stop competing and collaborate with each other, instead. Trust me, there are opportunities for all of us; and our male colleagues. There are countless statistics that prove that organizations that strive for and attain gender balance are more profitable, have a larger customer base and are more sustainable in the long-term.
As women, we are naturally inclined to encourage and support other women. My hope is that by doing so, we will banish all “Queen Bees” from the corporate arena, and create an empowering culture where women work with women to soar towards mutual success — and not the other way around.
8. Why not an OGN? (Old Girls Network)?
Wherever you look, you will find formal or informal Old Boys’ Networks (OBN). These networks support and promote their members based on their schools, universities, fraternities or clubs. I haven’t even heard the phrase, “Old Girls Network” — have you?
When you belong to a women’s network, you realize two things:
i. There is power in the tribe
ii. Your individual strengths make the collective whole much stronger
9. The Proof
Research shows that while both men and women benefit from having a network of well-connected peers, women who have an inner circle of close female acquaintances are much more likely to be promoted to senior positions with more authority.
This is attributed to the fact that women trying to ascend the corporate hierarchy, face many cultural and systemic hurdles including unconscious bias. The sure way to overcome some of these challenges is to form close connections with other women, who will share experiences, guide you on your worth and encourage you to leverage your talents and skills to achieve professional success and positions of leadership. Sandra De Zoysa, Group Chief Customer Officer of Dialog who is a highly successful professional who believes in uplifting women says, “I know that I can always call on a bunch of like-minded women and know that their support is unconditional”
I believe that when women work collaboratively with other women, we are a force! Someone once said, “a woman alone has power; collectively we have impact.” The truth is that raising each other up and leveraging the power of collaboration is how we will change the equation — and have fun in the process!
Deshika Rodrigo
Founder, TARA Women’s Network
Circle Leader, Lean In Ladies of Sri Lanka
If you, or someone you know, would like to be a part of a professional women’s network, you can connect with the TARA Network by completing this form: https://forms.gle/QsyZmc8cR4vsxnGT6.
For more information about the TARA Network, do check out https://www.linkedin.com/in/tara-women-s-network-sl-8542a31b8/ or https://www.facebook.com/tarawomensrilanka