The women who could become advisors, meanwhile, could increase their odds by applying for bigger roles and taking more risks, even applying for jobs for which they’re not 100% qualified. They could ask more questions, but also find mentors. She said that helped her learn to prioritize what’s urgent versus important, so she could delay some email responses to attend more meetings and after-work gatherings, which women will avoid more often than men in order to attend to their other duties.
“When you’re out there, you’re seeing things, you’re exposed to different conversations, you’re meeting new people and you’re hearing different perspectives that help you grow,” she said.
But, she also noted that women need to stop being so hard on themselves, too. They should realize that they don’t need to be at all of their children’s games – as she learned – but they do need to take time for themselves so they don’t burn out. They also need to laugh and enjoy themselves more.
Once they’re advisors, they can also surround themselves with a great team and hire those who are even better than they are, she said, “so we don’t have to have our head down all the time. We could think about the business, be strategic, and be out at more industry events because that’s really the best place to get a ton of information and to grow.”
“Life’s not that complicated,” said Rodrigues. “So, let’s just manage our own expectations for what we can do. A lot of that has to be taught through observation, so it’s helpful to have mentors or other women in the office that women can watch to see what to do.”
