Entrepreneurship Wednesday: EMF Book Review: Nice Girls Don't Get the Corner Office

The June EMF Book Club read was Dr. Lois Frankel's Nice Girls Don't Get The Corner Office: 101 Unconscious Mistakes Women Make That Sabotage Their Careers.  I read this book in about an hour thats how good it was I didn't want to put it down.  Frankel takes her readers along a journey from childhood to adulthood on how to approach working in corporate america.  She steps us through 101 different mistakes women make and how to approach the situations logically and gives great advice and solutions.  I plan to re-read this book every few months or so just to track my progress and my growth.  I read to expand my knowledge.  I like to be able to converse on many different subjects, but ultimately I read to grow.  I read to learn and to change my perception of an idea or concept and grow into my full potential.  Frankel taught me that I am ultimately responsible for my career development and building working relationships are key to getting pulled through the glass ceiling.
These are my 5 lessons learned from Nice Girls Don't Get The Corner Office.

Mistake 9 - Avoiding Office Politics
Frankel states "Politics is not a four letter word."  We should not avoid office politics but should embrace them and learn how to play the game.  Building relationships are essential to your success and you should be building them all the time and with all kinds of people.  Use the quid pro quo model.  You do a favor for someone they do a favor for you, you continue to develop that relationship.  Something in exchange for something else.  A key learning from this mistake is that "work through political situations in a way that allows others to see you as a problem solver, not a problem."

Mistake 12 - Holding Your Tongue
Frankel states "Holding your tongue only serves to make you frustrated and appear less willing than you really are to speak up for what you believe."  Disagree without being disagreeable.  This goes hand in hand with Mistake 9 and you have to be seen as the problem solver in any situation.  A key learning from this mistake was to take more risks with giving my opinions at meetings.  Practice giving your opinion at least once during a meeting.

Mistake 16 - Needing to Be Liked
Frankel states "Likability is a critical factor in your success."  Being liked and respected are the people who are the most respectful in the workplace.  A key learning from this mistake is to figure out where the inordinate need of being liked comes from, childhood, bad experience?  Don't do things for others just because they are annoyed, your respect comes first.


Mistake 34 - Viewing Men in Authority as Father Figures
For me growing up without my biological father during my teen years, I tend to do this subconsciously.  I had to answer Frankel's questions: Who does he remind me of?  How do I act when I'm around him?  Why do I give up so much power to him?  A key learning from this mistake is that your senior management does not always have your best interest at heart like your father. Learn to hear objectively and respond appropriately.

Mistake 41 - Ignoring the Importance of Network Relationships
I am BIG on building my network.  I believe Rev Run said "Your netWORK is your net-Worth"  Frankel states "Your job includes building a relationship with everyone....You don't have to it on the golf course or over beers after work, but you do have do if you want to ensure long-term success."  A key learning from this mistake is to develop a plan on how you're going to build and maintain relationships. Spending time developing relationships is not a waste of time.  She repeatedly states throughout the book "When you need that relationship, it's already too late to build it"  I don't want it to be too late to shake hands and kiss babies and miss on my opportunity to get pulled through that glass ceiling.

Go out and pick up Lois Frankel's Nice Girls Don't Get The Corner Office: 101 Unconscious Mistakes Women Make That Sabotage Their Careers I promise it will rock your world!

These are the books for the rest of the year EMF Book Club will feature!

July - Outliers the Story to Success Malcolm Gladwell

August - See Jane Lead Lois Frankel

September - Tipping Point: How little things can make a big difference  Malcolm Gladwell

October - Campus CEO: The Student Entrepreneur's Guide to Launching a Multi Million Dollar Business Randal Pinkett

November - The Mocha Manual to turning your passion into profit Kimberly Seals-Allers

December - Any ideas?

Keep the Faith!

Until next time,
~E