Our strength is in our weakness,
and our weakness is boundless.
W. Shakespeare. The Taming of the Shrew
Today it is almost impossible to find such a field of activity, wherever a woman works, moreover, where she would not occupy leadership or at least key positions. In Russia, for example, women head 40% of small and medium-sized businesses. But even a hundred years ago it was hard to imagine that women could adequately work in business, which has always been considered a purely masculine path. And here you go, they work! And how successful! But business women, strictly speaking, are not only female managers, but also representatives of ordinary professions that are in one way or another connected with commercial activities, such as an assistant secretary or assistant manager.
It's no secret that the path of a business woman is by no means strewn with roses, and the harsh mentality of business is gradually leaving its unflattering imprint on a finely organized female nature. Business demands from a woman not only strict orderliness of actions, but also sometimes rigidity in decision-making, categorical, authoritarianism. This state of affairs causes irreparable damage to the naturally emotional female psyche. Suppressing femininity in oneself for the sake of circumstances, the beautiful half of humanity risks losing not only peace of mind and self-confidence, but also their main weapon of influence on men. Always being a woman is the only recipe for the success of a real business woman. How to learn to harmoniously combine these two principles - business and femininity?
Softening the tough dress code
Let's start, as K.S. Stanislavsky, "from the hanger", or rather, from the wardrobe of our imaginary business woman. A strict dress code prescribes a formal suit with a traditional cut, a dim range of colors, and the absence of aggressively sexual details in the suit (deep neckline, tight-fitting and transparent fabrics, high-heeled shoes, stilettos, etc.). It seems that having lost this arsenal, a woman will turn into a shapeless and asexual object, completely devoid of attractiveness. However, even from such a suit you can create an attractive image.
Firstly, nothing emphasizes female weakness and fragility as much as a male-style suit. Secondly, the skirt always enhances the femininity of its owner, even if she does not get out of trousers and jeans for the entire non-office part of her life. Thirdly, elegant, tastefully selected feminine accessories (brooches, neckerchiefs, men's ties in exquisite colors (yes, yes, your eyesight, dear reader, it's men's ties!)), expensive, but modest in size jewelry ( earrings, beads) will make a woman truly irresistible. Even those details of the toilet that others do not know about, but the owner herself knows (stunning lace underwear, elegant stockings), will give her an inner sense of confidence in her own irresistibility. When a woman likes herself, when she feels her inner strength and, if you like, the power of her charm over the surrounding men, then she is really capable of moving mountains.
Reception - an oasis of femininity
Now let's move from the wardrobe to the reception room, which should be a kind of "oasis of femininity." One should not think that the aura of female presence arises in one or another service room due to the aromas of expensive perfume novelties or various gadgets such as openwork frames with photographs on the desktop, souvenirs brought by colleagues from distant countries, plush toys of small caliber ... Nothing like that! Even the strict business environment of the reception can be feminine due to the accuracy, comfort, and most importantly - the friendly, sensitive, attentive attitude of the hostess of the office to her employees and guests.
I often remember how a new secretary, Yulia K., came to the commercial department of our company. For lack of space, she was given an uncomfortable, rather dark walk-through room. A week later, the room was unrecognizable. And it's not that the light was always on in it now, and the feeling of gloom was gone from this, and not even in the new, eye-pleasing blinds or a beautiful large flower that fit comfortably into the interior. It was just Yulia's charming smile, which literally lit up the modest room when one of her colleagues entered it. The combination of calm confidence, the highest professionalism, efficiency, organization and gentleness, ease (but not lightness!) in dealing with others was so sweet and attractive that it created a strong feeling: not just a business employee, but a lady reigns here!
Even leaving her waiting room and finding herself directly in the circle of colleagues with whom, we note, the assistant manager must keep a certain distance due to the specifics of her work, she did not seem like some kind of alien creature. She was always in a good mood, not talkative, but ready for dialogue, able to joke with others, ask about their personal affairs and hobbies, at the same time, a little more formally convey to the employee the manager’s instructions and immediately clearly and even dryly reprimand a negligent colleague for delaying work. In a word, like a true woman, she was always a bit of an actress.
But it is precisely this quality that distinguishes a woman from men. A woman is able to quickly transform, change roles depending on the situation and not feel any nervous strain. Men are simply not capable of such aerobatics, they (if only with very rare exceptions!) Are not able to quickly change roles. For a man, changing his usual image is the strongest stress. But a good and successful business is, first of all, creativity. Improvisation? Yes, but well thought out and prepared in advance. So the female acting beginning in commerce comes in handy.
Explosion of stereotypes
We have already talked about the suit of a business woman. I want to return to this topic once again, but from the point of view of the acting streak in the soul of every woman. If a man, getting ready for work in the morning, thinks about a clean shirt, a tie to match the suit and pressed trousers, then for a real business woman, choosing an image for the next working day takes much more time. Of course, according to the office dress code, an employee is obliged to change her outfit and hairstyle, but this alone is not enough. An experienced business woman thinks through her choice to the smallest detail. If she is going to have a regular meeting, a neutral gray-blue scale is quite enough. If the meeting promises a breakthrough in a career, then she cannot do without a dark blue formal suit with a thin vertical stripe (a symbol of internal professional growth, according to psychologists). And if the meeting involves a confidential conversation, then the pale pink color will become her faithful assistant, conducive to openness and frankness. Tell me, dear reader, would any male businessman bother to analyze his image so carefully in anticipation of the coming day? I won't be wrong if I say no. Only an artistic female nature brings its own rules of the game to business.
One of these rules is especially popular with business women. I mean the explosion of stereotypes. When a male businessman goes to a business meeting with a female executive, a certain stereotype is already present in his mind. Most often, this is a lonely, slightly masculine, bitchy lady of indeterminate age and with a heavy tread. (The image of the boss from the film “Office Romance” immediately comes to mind.) And ... what a surprise! An elegant, slender young woman appears before him, in the presence of which our hero already wants to be, first of all, a man and a gentleman. Or, on the contrary, instead of a quick-witted, sharp-to-word and quick-to-deed aunt, an ephemeral creature with an angelic look and such meekness swims into the negotiation room that it seems he wouldn’t hurt a fly. The man relaxes and loses his vigilance, deciding that it will not be difficult to beat "this sheep". Meanwhile, a “chilling story” unfolds: a lion lurks under the mask of a sheep! Shock and bewilderment - the partner is unsettled ...
Negotiations are like a chess game
Since, following our imaginary heroine, we moved from the reception room to the meeting room, it would not be out of place to remind the reader that a serious business conversation, intricate combinations of steps in the negotiation process, sometimes resemble ingenious chess games. “Where can a woman comprehend the mechanics of these processes. The braid is long - the mind is short, ”those of the men who do not recognize the role of a woman in the negotiation process and in general in business love to quote the proverb. And they are very wrong! The sensitive and emotional female nature, which has excellent intuition, much better than the male one captures the slightest nuances in the change of mood of the interlocutor. The smallest shades of intonation play, which are not available to the hearing of a man, are caught by a woman with ease and ease, immediately understanding what the interlocutor’s attitude is to the issue raised and to her personally. And having a flexible and, as we have already found out, artistic nature, he easily adapts to his opponent, being on his wave both emotionally and intonation. There is a situation of communication in one, albeit non-verbal, language. I'm not talking about the language of facial expressions! Men are less inclined to express their emotions with facial expressions, here the primacy, of course, belongs to women, besides, the observation of the latter allows them to mirror the gestures and facial expressions of the interlocutor during discussions, which also contributes to establishing additional positive contact.
Words words…
Men rarely know how to find a successful embodiment in the word of their spiritual movements. Another thing is a woman. Her natural verbal intelligence allows her to find exact matches for expressing the whole gamut of feelings, inner feelings, doubts, hesitations, etc. “You discourage me with your categoricalness!” flight of your thought! - such phrases, uttered by the lips of a woman, and even seasoned with various intonation modulations, can sound playful and intriguing, cool the ardor of the interlocutor, and can also sound like a compliment. In this regard, the possibilities of a woman are truly endless!
Compliment is a woman's weapon
Perhaps we should linger a little on such a powerful "weapon" as a compliment. For men, this is more difficult. To praise another man in front of everyone, especially if this is your business opponent, and even more so a woman (!), the male mentality is unlikely to allow. But a business lady is highly recommended to compliment a man, admiring his mind, intellect, business acumen or insight. For example: “Sergei Ivanovich, among my business partners it is difficult to find a more experienced person who, moreover, has such extensive and significant connections ...”, “Ivan Grigorievich, only you, with your intellectual baggage and a number of unique authoring developments, are capable of the shortest possible time to influence the further course of events. Well, tell me, dear reader, what man would not like an admiring female look and a couple of flattering words, especially if they are supported by facts!
Emphasized attention to the opponent, the ability to react in time to what he said and at the same time find the right emotion, showing interest in trifles in a conversation - all this is extremely appealing to male interlocutors. I know quite a few women who, in a business conversation, did not make long and lengthy speeches, did not demonstrate their erudition for the sake of a red word, but restrainedly and concisely outlined their position, silently listening to the interlocutor the rest of the time. They made the most pleasant impression and evoked readiness for a constructive dialogue and compromise solutions.
Create an atmosphere
For successful negotiations, the ability of a woman to create a meeting atmosphere suitable for the occasion is also useful. You can, of course, hold a meeting in a dry, businesslike way, in a meeting room at a rectangular table, with your partner seated opposite you. Immediately there will be a distance not only physical, visual, but also psychological. What will be the result of the meeting, it is difficult to predict. What will a real woman do? He will hold a meeting at a round table, where all those present are at the same distance from each other, and there are no sharp corners that always cause internal emotional discomfort. In the meeting room, suddenly, quite “accidentally”, there will be an issue of a magazine in which an interview with the current guest is published, or his book, if he wrote one. As a drink "accidentally" his favorite brand of tea or coffee will be offered. In a word, the whole meeting will be prepared in advance and built according to the “beloved guest” scenario, which any woman uses in everyday life. Sometimes she can transfer such a meeting to an expensive cozy restaurant, again taking into account the gastronomic preferences of a business partner. Relax, lull vigilance, tune in to positive communication, win over, evoke pleasant associations - in a word, spread around you that aura of femininity that will allow you to achieve your business goals. This is how woman and business go hand in hand.
And no matter what the skeptics say, a woman and business are two things that are very compatible! The whole point is only the ability to correctly place accents and find the golden mean. Then the business is guaranteed to have a very charming female face.
N.V. Coachman,
personal assistant
Director General of CJSC TVK Aviapark,
Member of the Club of Professional Secretaries
Who is a business woman: how to become a business woman
A woman who creates her own business from scratch and succeeds perfectly in its development is just a dry description of the concept of lady business. In fact, this concept includes much more essence: no woman who is successful in the business part of life could become such if it were not for the necessary character traits. Those few parameters that distinguish a real business shark:
- Strong will . Something that is impossible to educate in oneself, but what all existing business women strive for. The steel rod will be a daily guarantee of success even when an ordinary representative of the weaker sex cries, succumbs to difficulties and backs down, hiding behind the back of her man, most likely the same businessman. The ability to stand your ground, actively go towards the goal and overcome difficulties is the very first and important quality.
- Control over emotions. It is impossible to conduct business successfully without a “cold head”, since in the heat of the moment you can break a lot of firewood. That is why business is most often a male path, since representatives of the strong half of humanity are able to perfectly control their emotions and keep them to themselves. A good businessman can save face even with frank skirmishes during negotiations and resolve everything to his advantage. After all, business associates are there to make money, not to be liked and good people.
- Communication and charisma. Qualities that distinguish a real business woman from an ordinary worker in the field of doing business. The ability to find a common language with everyone is perhaps one of the most important qualities, since the business sector constantly involves working with people. Here you need daily practice, start training at least in front of a mirror. Try to give your face a different expression and try to say the same phrase with different connotations. This exercise will help develop your charisma and win over any listener. Remember, your goal is to attract as many investors as possible to your business, so learn how to talk to any "kind" of people.
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- Rational approach. This quality can be developed in yourself even from scratch, since business is a delicate calculation, in which it is important to correctly correlate income, expenses and start-up capital. Use the famous savings rules, such as the four-envelope rule or the seven-jar rule, to help you allocate your budget so that the business becomes successful and brings tangible profits.
- Time is money. You need to feel the time not only for a person from the business sector, but also for any of the people, so as not to simply waste precious minutes of your life on trifles. A real business woman is obliged to make time her ally in the first place, remember, there are only 24 hours in a day, imagine that this is 24 thousand rubles or dollars, and every day you have to spend exactly as much as you are allotted: no more and no less . So use that "money" wisely.
Psychological portrait of a business lady
Regarding the qualities that a woman who opens her own business should have, everything is clear, but turning to psychology, many people seriously think about how a business lady should behave. Is she kind to others or is she a "commander in a skirt"? What is the true image of a business woman?
Dozens of scientific papers have been written on this topic, but the quintessence is one - a businesswoman should dispose to herself with all her appearance .
For example, Estee Lauder, who founded the most successful cosmetics company, stood behind the counter of her store herself and each customer was noticed and kindly received by her. She found time for everyone, showing with her whole appearance how important any potential buyer is for her. She was the first to come up with free samples of cosmetics and gifts for her regular customers. " With people and for people"- this is the motto of this amazing woman.
In addition, you should pay attention to your spiritual qualities. In order to win over you, you need to educate yourself daily, first of all, a woman with a soft voice, a charming smile and a kind expression on her face. Who is more likely to sell her goods: a radiant and sociable girl - a consultant in the jewelry department or a sales assistant in household goods, who with a sour face sends the buyer to the rack with the desired product? The answer is obvious.
Therefore, you must first become a business woman from the inside, adding breadth of soul and softness in communication to your business qualities.
Myths about business women: breaking stereotypes
There are many stereotypical statements that have taken root in society regarding business ladies. Let's try to dispel the mythical phrases. The most famous of them:
- Business woman is successful only in the field of career. An absolute lie that has been scaring women who dream of their own business for many centuries. A business woman is an example of strong will, achievement of a goal and an extremely attractive person internally and externally, always well-groomed, polite and tidy. Such a woman is the dream of many men, which is proved by numerous examples of already family syndicates, for example, the Versace fashion house, which for many years has been run by the widow of Versace himself Donatella, who in the past very successfully supported her husband in business and was herself an entrepreneur before marriage. And we won’t even talk about children at all - Versace has three of them - a worthy generation for a family business. And there are many such examples.
- A business woman does not need children / she finds it hard to find a common language with existing kids. Semi-myth, as many business women are great at raising their children, for example, JK Rowling, who, as a housewife and twice a mother, created an immortal fantasy story about the boy wizard Harry Potter. To date, Mrs. Rowling is the richest woman in the UK and is still a great mother.
On the other hand, some business women fail to find contact with already grown children due to lack of time, since at the beginning of promotion, the business takes a lot of precious minutes and investments. Not only material, but also mental. There is simply no strength left for children, there is only one piece of advice here: include them in your life. Do not adjust your entire existence to the needs of the kids, make them your allies and helpers, and then active participation in your affairs will entertain the kids tremendously, and the time spent together will be increased.
- A business woman cannot be weak, she must be successful everywhere! The reverse of the first myth, which also leads in terms of the number of its use in relation to business women. If suddenly such a lady does not have a husband or children, or she is divorced, then the question immediately arises: maybe it is unprofitable to cooperate with her in business transactions? Suddenly, her business will also collapse, as well as an undeveloped personal life. Here, psychologists advise not to pay attention to the statements of society, because it is necessary to evaluate a person in business according to his exclusively business qualities, and not the number of children and marriages. Remember, many billionaires are single, but that's just for now...
Remember the story of Miranda Priestley (from the movie "The Devil Wears Prada"), she had 3 marriages, but at the same time an enviable business acumen and a gift for foreseeing the plans of competitors.
The image of a business woman: creating the image of a business woman
First of all, look around, how many women you saw on the street can you safely classify as a business lady? Unfortunately not many. Someone spoils their hair, someone - clothes, and someone does not know how to behave and laughs loudly at a bus stop. By what criteria is this business image created?
- Behavior
A business lady is always polite, accurate and very clearly expresses her thoughts. Loud laughter, dashing male gestures, or, on the contrary, overly flirtatious female tricks, are inappropriate. Remember, you are at work, not on vacation. The posture should be straight, in no case should the head be lowered down. You must appear independent and serious, and lower your eyes to the floor so as not to embarrass the interlocutor with a fixed passionate look, it is better on a date, and not in negotiations.
Take a position that is comfortable for you, do not sit deep in a chair and do not cross your arms over your chest. Such closed poses will give you an insecure person with whom you do not want to do anything. The best option would be to lean forward slightly, smile benevolently and fold your hands on the table, or pick up a parker. Yes, your pens for signing papers should be expensive - this immediately sets you in a businesslike mood. Little things are always noticeable!
- Style.
A business lady is always immaculately dressed and made up - this is an immutable law, even if the business meeting takes place at seven in the morning, on the other side of the city and after a bunch of traffic jams. In her arsenal, a business woman should have suits, not necessarily trousers, and a huge number of blouses and shirts in order to always look fresh and interesting. According to statistics, a girl who does business in monotonous outfits is less successful than a lady who greets work partners every day in a new suit. And he is not new, just carefully combined from forgotten old ones. Clothing should be of high quality, it is better to have three expensive suits than ten cheap ones. Your clothes are your face, and it should be well-groomed.
Makeup is better and discreet to use, mascara and lipstick are enough. Its complete absence indicates negligence. Watch videos on the Internet, go to makeup courses. These skills will be useful to you for an impeccable image throughout your life, not only at work, but also in your personal life.
Shoes - these are only high-heeled shoes, you can choose a stable or classic stilettos.
Think carefully about what you put on your feet, as shoes should also match the outfit and be always cleaned and tidy. It is better to buy two or three expensive pairs of shoes than cheap ones that come off quickly.
It is better to choose a bag of medium size, or opt for a briefcase for business papers. The color may not necessarily be black, soothing browns and grays are welcome. It is better to avoid bright colors so as not to look frivolous. Other accessories, be it a flirty hat, a fashionable scarf or gloves, should also be restrained, the brightness of individuality in work is out of place.
- Hairstyle
Traditionally, a business woman puts her hair in a regular tight ponytail or makes a strict braid, but recently the office bun has become the most popular hairstyle, which fixes her hair in a beautiful circle with a special hairpin. Such a hairstyle will be not only appropriate and neat, but also comfortable and attractive. However, do not get carried away with bright hairpins, you are at a serious job.
In fact, clothing affects the perception of the business image of a woman as a whole, since it is not enough to be a business woman inside, try to become her outside as well. No cleavage, simple sneakers, provocative short mini-skirts and romantic dresses - all this will give you a woman, not a business partner who needs to be taken seriously. Remember the men's wardrobe of a businessman - a classic suit, polished shoes, a briefcase and a minimum of accessories, in extreme cases - an expensive watch.
business woman habits
To become a real business lady, it’s not enough to always keep yourself in good shape and follow simple rules, you need to make them your habits and get yourself a few more useful “little things” to improve the quality of life.
- We are what we eat
First of all, lead a healthy lifestyle. A business lady has no time to go to the gym and keep track of healthy food, counting calories. However, a half-hour jog in the morning or evening, and then a light healthy dinner, consisting of vegetables and fruits, you can afford. During the day, do not snack on the go, this will only negatively affect your figure and mental abilities, since all pies are quite heavy and useless food.
It is better to set aside lunch time for yourself and go to a good cafe nearby, where you can eat a full meal in the company of your business partners. So you will kill two birds with one stone: give the body the necessary energy and be able to additionally chat about important business issues.
Remember, the biggest contacts are signed at dinner, because well-fed and rested people are much more accommodating than hungry and tired ones.
- I make time...
Get yourself an electronic and regular organizer. And do not forget to write down in them everything that you consider the necessary information. Good thoughts about future affairs quickly disappear, and remembering what’s what is sometimes very difficult, and even more so, you need to be punctual and not forget about upcoming meetings. An electronic assistant will remind you of this, and if it is suddenly discharged, then a regular diary will also come to your aid.
- Tell me who is your friend...
Change your social circle. It is not necessary to disown old girlfriends and friends when starting a business, but it is also better to acquire new ones in the business field, because the company of successful people will help you grow up every time you communicate. In addition, everyone needs like-minded people who would share your aspirations for success, and sometimes give good advice from their experience.
Remember, billionaires are unlikely to go to the movies on weekends with a homeless former classmate. Those comrades who are very loved by you, but have not achieved anything in their lives, unfortunately will have to be on the sidelines - do not take risks, during such communication you will always degrade imperceptibly.
Type of business woman: or what are business women?
When choosing a certain person as a husband or wife, we instinctively trust our type, which is embedded in our head. The same is true in business. There are several types of women that are easy to calculate:
- « Emancipe».
A special type of business women who hate men simply a priori.
— pros: business acumen, clear and rational mind.
— Minuses: contempt for males, so it is extremely difficult to earn the trust of such a boss if you are a man. - "Overseer" or "tyrant in a skirt".
An extremely difficult woman who does business as if tomorrow there will be a war and everything must be strictly mobilized. She always has a well-trained staff, the best places and low wages. Cursing is in their blood.
— pros: high sales turnover and iron discipline.
— Minuses: constant staff turnover, since it is morally difficult to work with such a business lady. - "The Iron Lady».
A pleasant type of business women who know how to be different in situations that circumstances dictate to them. Margaret Thatcher, to whom we owe the appearance of this term, was impeccable and smiling in negotiations and had a steely will when she dealt with her enemies.
— pros: the ability to keep yourself in any situation.
— Minuses: often drives his feelings under the shell. The iron lady does not know how to show emotions and express them openly. Because of this, she is very difficult to communicate outside of work. - « Friend».
An interesting type of business woman who is on good terms with everyone and knows how to be everyone's friend. She is an excellent listener and delves into any problem, so this type of leader is highly preferable.
— pros: always understand the situation and help.
— Minuses: may be afraid to offend and therefore will not tell the whole truth in person. She does not know how to be tough, she always looks for a compromise, which sometimes does not save. - « Baba from the market».
No matter how a woman knows how to behave, if a “habalka” is dozing in her, then sooner or later it will manifest itself in an extreme situation, for example, if the car stalls on the way to the office. Forgetting about decency, such a woman will easily say a few strong words and smoke in front of her business partners.
— pros: such a business lady is easier to captivate with seductive projects, she often lights up with interesting ideas.
— Minuses: can spoil the impression of the company, rare, but "accurate" antics. - « Chatterbox».
A person who constantly "speaks" on the case, on the case, on the case. Often can interrupt and again "broadcast" about the merits and advantages. Get ready to hear everything about everything.
— pros: a detailed account of affairs with all the little things, which is very good.
— Minuses: Constant verbal flow can be extremely tiring for the interlocutor. Such a lady needs to learn to listen to her partner and interrupt more often so as not to miss new interesting proposals from the outside. - « queen mother».
One of the most sought after types of business women. Contrary to the ingrained stereotype that the Queen Mother does nothing in England, and Parliament decides everything for her, this type of businesswoman is very pleasant. She knows everything about everything and everyone, so she makes sure that everyone feels good in her company.
— pros: the human attitude bears fruit - employees arrive, the business grows and brings tangible income.
— Minuses: if someone has fallen out of favor, then it is very difficult to return the former location of such a lady.
Mistakes of business ladies: how to look first of all as a serious business partner, and not a woman?
"Calm down!" is the very first item to complete on the to-do list for transforming yourself into a woman who is about to run a business. A lot depends on your self-control, for example, how seriously you will be taken by business partners - men. Below are the most striking mistakes of future business ladies:
- Facial expression. A Hollywood smile would be inappropriate, but a stony expression is also useless. Your trump card is benevolence and friendliness, mixed with seriousness.
- Pose. Many women in negotiations cross their arms over their chests, twist curls around their fingers, tug at your earlobe or scratch, smooth your hair - all this betrays nervousness and insecurity in you. Watch your hands, they should be relaxed and lie naturally on the table or should be located on your knees.
- Gestures. The business world excludes strong emotional gestures, as this looks vulgar and gives you an impulsive and unrestrained person:
- do not wave your arms in front of the interlocutor's face;
- do not shake your head;
- the most important thing is the correct handshake during the transaction. Your hand should be dry and hard, not wet and shaking with fear. - Tears. This is the most common female mistake when a girl understands that everything is not going as she would like, and therefore emotions overflow in the literal sense. If you cried during the negotiations, then it is better to forget about this business partner forever. Weaknesses should be shown to the husband, not to colleagues!
- Speech. Try to speak clearly and confidently, the voice should sound calm. Do not stumble and do not mumble, but succinctly and thoroughly state your thought. Be consistent and logical, men love it. Take logic to the fore.
Problems at work: what will a business woman have to face?
- Human factor
Everyone has problems at work, however, a woman organizing her own business should be prepared for the fact that her problems will not only be private, because a business is a syndicate that brings together many people. Therefore, first of all, you will have to face the unpreparedness of colleagues. It is better to collect information on certain days so that all your subordinates and business partners are prepared. To do this, it is convenient to hold planning meetings at the beginning and / or at the end of the week.
- By personal example
The next problem will be non-punctuality - a disastrous quality for the business world, it is extremely easy to avoid this - to set an example for everyone.
- Man is better than woman
And the last problem will be the ingrained male opinion that a woman is not the best option for a business boss. Prove with all your appearance and behavior that this is not so. Be collected, persistent, speak confidently and directly - after a minute of talking, this problem will also be solved. With subordinates, be decisive, but not cold-blooded. Men are deprived of sensuality, and for a woman this can play into the hands of business.
- « Cinderella complex "
Sometimes a woman herself does not believe that she can do something better than a man. Thoughts that interfere with her settle in her head, which develop doubt, thereby preventing her from making the right decision. Today, a woman has equal rights with men, so do not allow even the slightest thought that something will not work out for you. At an important moment, turn off the woman and turn on the man: decisive, bold, daring!
If you cannot get rid of feelings and emotions, then go to the kitchen and cook porridge, you have no place among successful women.
Problems in the family of a business woman
Most often, because of the desire to achieve professional heights, a woman misses the small and really important thing that she has: her husband, children, parents. A truly successful woman is one who knows how to maneuver between family and career.
Why do we talk so much about planning? Everything is simple. If family harmony and your work are important to you, then include the family in your schedule. Set aside weekends when you literally take a break from work (don't check your email, turn off your work phone) and spend time with your family by planning something special for that day.
- Don't Forget Your Husband. Talk less about work moments, talk more about your relationship when you're together. Go to lunch together (if you work in different places). Take a five-day vacation and go somewhere just the two of you.
- Don't talk about work at home. At the meal, never discuss work issues. Turn off the boss as soon as you cross the threshold of the house.
- Don't miss out on important things when the kids are small.. Even a super-mega-busy woman has 5, 10, 15 minutes when she rests at work (drinks coffee, waits for papers, etc.) - use such pauses to text your child, call your mother or husband. Today, children are mobile and they like it when parents keep up with fashion: start a general chat in Viber, where only you and your children will be. During the day, send them cool pictures, funny messages, or just chat about current issues (remind about the circle, etc.). Be always in touch. Stop and listen to the child, even if he calls during a business meeting.
Business lady and team
A successful lady in business circles understands one truth - becoming the best in business does not mean disappearing at work around the clock. You need to take reasonable breaks and, of course, rest in order to be fully equipped every day.
Your subordinates will appreciate if you introduce corporate traditions. For example:
- New Year's corporate parties with symbolic gifts for subordinates and/or their children;
- field trainings;
- celebration on the occasion of the conclusion of a major transaction at the end of the working day or at the end of the week;
- etc.
All this forms a corporate spirit and a loyal attitude towards the management!
In order to keep everything under control, you need to get yourself the “necessary” assistants who will always keep their finger on the pulse in your absence. Feel free to take your business partner as a companion and partner, and also take care of a good manager. Honesty should be his main quality. And do not forget to make a clear plan for yourself every day of what needs to be done, so you will more likely achieve success.
Successful business woman: examples of famous business women
Business women at all times were primarily women who, along with men, were able to build a successful business and later pass it on to their descendants. The best examples are those in the cosmetics industry, such as Estee Lauder, Helena Rubinstein, Mary Kay Ash - all of these ladies founded billion-dollar cosmetic corporations, although their style of doing business was much different. Lauder herself stood behind the counter and paid attention to each client, Rubinstein kept everyone in tight rein, and Mary Kay was simply engaged in the release of the cosmetics that, in her opinion, was not enough on the market - according to her uncle's recipe.
The representative of the fashion house, the famous Coco Chanel, rebelled against public fashion and was the first to introduce the Little black dress and a short skirt into the wardrobe of a modern woman. Her fashion house Chanel is a model of style and elegance to this day. Miss Outrageous motto of the 20th century was: " To make the world a better place, you need to start with yourself».
And John Rowling and Ruth Handler became famous business ladies thanks to their children. The first became the mother of the famous book wizard Harry Potter, writing a fairy tale for her kids, and the second invented the most popular doll of all time - Barbie, named after Barbara's daughter.
Thus, running a successful business and being a real business shark is not easy, but if you start to slowly rebuild your life so that the business becomes a full-fledged and irreplaceable part of it, you can achieve great heights in the shortest possible time. The main thing is not to give up and go to your goal only forward!
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Long gone are the days when the fairer sex was engaged exclusively in housework. Many modern women are establishing business connections, pursuing a career or starting their own business. We will talk about how to become a business woman from scratch in this article.
Where to begin?
Interested in how to become a successful business lady? The most important thing is to start your business right. Do not immediately take huge loans to purchase a ready-made enterprise. First of all, decide what you would like to do.
Besides:
- Choose a good business idea;
- Read thematic literature;
- Connect with successful entrepreneurs;
- Gather all the necessary documents and officially register your company;
- Attend trainings and seminars;
- Invest your profits in business development to achieve the best result.
What to do?
How to become a business lady and where to start to make your dream come true?- Look like a business lady. Buy expensive high-quality things, do moderate makeup. Your appearance should indicate your success;
- Try to communicate more often with people who have managed to achieve success. They will help you become more confident and believe in yourself. With those who constantly complain about life, communication should be limited;
- Constantly engage in self-development;
- Learn to think like you own a big business;
- The constant striving for something new will help you reach heights in any business.
Children's beauty salon
If you are concerned about the question of how to become a business woman and open your own business, pay attention to the beauty industry. This line of business brings good profits at any time.
Rent a small space and open a beauty salon for children. Haircutting a child is a rather troublesome task that not every professional can handle. Hire hairdressers who love children and enjoy working with them. You can hire young professionals who have just completed their studies and do not know. The room should be decorated with various pictures with fairy-tale characters so that the baby is not afraid to go to the beauty salon. Also hang a TV where the little visitor can watch cartoons while cutting. Usually parents do not spare money for their children, so such a business will bring good profits.
Creative studio for children
Any mother believes that her baby is talented and special. But to deal with it on their own, modern parents usually do not have enough time. If you have a pedagogical education and have certain knowledge, open your own business center for children's creativity or a game room. In this case, you do not have to think about and take a teacher's vacancy in some children's educational institution. You yourself will become an employer and will receive not only pleasure from your work, but also a good profit. The demand for educational activities with children is constantly growing, so you will not lack customers. This is a fairly profitable business that does not require large initial investments.Cleaning of apartments and houses
Almost all women know how to clean and restore order. Why not make money from it? To start such a business, you do not need a large investment. It is enough to purchase the necessary cleaning equipment, buy cleaning products and you can advertise in the media to find your first customers. At first, you can do the cleaning yourself. If you can't handle the work yourself, hire 2-3 assistants to take on more orders.
Let's see who is a business lady? This is a woman who has business acumen and knows how to make money out of the blue. Cleaning of premises is a simple and affordable business that can be opened in any city literally from scratch. If you take your business seriously and responsibly, over time you will be able to become the owner of a large one.
Culinary products
Let's find out, shall we? First of all, it is a cook and a confectioner. Such professionals are needed always and everywhere. If you are good at cooking, you can open your own business, such as making culinary products or making custom cakes.
Modern people highly appreciate the author's cooking, so they often order cakes from private confectioners. In order to do this business, you do not need a large start-up capital. It is enough to purchase the necessary equipment and purchase quality products.
You can advertise your services in social networks and thematic forums on the Internet. This advertising option, despite its low cost, is quite effective. In the future, with success, it will be possible, thereby expanding the business and increasing profits.
Internet trading
If you have firmly decided that I want to become a business lady, but you don’t know where to start your business, try opening your own online store.
You can sell online:
- Clothes and shoes;
- Kids toys;
- Video tutorials and more.
Trade on your own resources and on other sites using affiliate programs. In addition, you can do network marketing - distribute cosmetics, gift books or nutritional supplements. Before becoming a business woman, you can work as a sales representative in some large company to gain invaluable experience. After that, feel free to open your own business.
Through the Internet is a popular and profitable activity that you can start almost from scratch. Do not be afraid to try your hand in this direction.
Children's things under the order
Young mothers who are on maternity leave can tailor children's clothes to order. Original high-quality clothes for babies are always in great demand. Your child, dressed in beautiful unusual things, usually acts as a model advertising products. In addition, you can make author's children's toys or cook children's soap with natural extracts.
Trainings and seminars
Are you interested? Better try to open your own business. This is the best way to earn money and at the same time, assert yourself. Women who have oratory skills can engage in training on various topics:
- Family relationships;
- Parenting;
- Beauty and health;
- Home economics.
At first, classes can be carried out at home. When the audience starts to expand, rent an office or a training room.
Nowadays, online training is very popular. Using Skype, you can communicate with your students without having to spend money on office rent, which will significantly reduce the payback period of the business.
Handmade souvenirs
Almost every woman has some useful hobbies. It can be embroidery, knitting, making souvenirs and so on. Any hobby can be turned into a profitable business. You can sell your products online. Copyright items are in great demand, especially on foreign sites. When the business begins to expand, open your own gift shop, where you can sell not only your products, but also other goods.
Summarize
There are different ideas on the basis of which you can create a profitable promising business. Many of them do not require a large initial investment. In the process of work, certain difficulties may arise, but do not be upset ahead of time. If you encounter setbacks, never give up. Love your business, and it will surely become successful.
One of the most pressing questions for women who have decided to open their own business and work for themselves is how to become a business woman from scratch? You have been saving for a long time to be independent and organize your own earnings, it remains only to take into account a few simple tips that will allow you to achieve great success! Below we will provide you with 10 recommendations for a beginner "businesswoman".
- The first thing you must learn to do is to plan your day competently. If you have already decided to become a successful business lady, pay due attention to planning. Take a notebook and make a work schedule: getting up, sending the child to school, self-development, household chores, working on a business idea, etc. If you are disorganized, you will not succeed in achieving a good result!
- The next advice is to seriously approach the choice of the idea of earning, as well as the analysis of competitors. If you initially choose the wrong field of activity, there will be no success. For example, accounting services business in a small village in Russia, not a very good idea to make money.
- Give enough time to education and self-development. Participate in trainings, seminars, attend various personal effectiveness courses, etc. You can also learn without initial capital by reading books by successful people. To become a businesswoman from scratch, you need to be educated and certainly be able to communicate with people.
- Develop in yourself such qualities as restraint, willpower, confidence, efficiency, competence and, last but not least, flexibility. In some cases, you will have to adapt to people for advice, organizing a meeting, etc. If you cannot be flexible and at the same time do not learn to improvise, it will be difficult to become a successful business woman.
- Take care of your appearance and health. Keep ripped jeans and cartoon T-shirts out of your closet. If you want to be a real business woman, you need to look like this ( tips for choosing a business suit you can see in the corresponding article on the site). Wear a blue or gray business suit, keep yourself in shape. An important factor is the cleanliness of your car. You should not go to a meeting without washing a dirty car. Don't forget, the first impression of you can be formed even while you are walking from the parking lot adjacent to the meeting point.
- Set a goal and never give up. It's good if your business idea is always in sight - a screen saver on your desktop, a sticker on the mirror, or even a piece of paper attached to the refrigerator with a magnet, as in the photo below! It should also be noted here that if you have already decided to become a start-up business woman, try to listen less to others, unless of course they are specialists in your chosen field of activity. The only person who can influence your opinion is a person who will present serious arguments. All other “I think” or “I wouldn’t deal with these” let go of your ears.
- Take action from day one. If you decide to open a business, start analyzing the market as soon as possible and collect the necessary package of documents. The longer you drag out the rubber, the less likely you are to organize a successful business of your own and become a successful entrepreneur!
- Try to spend more time in the social circle of people who are also businessmen. A strong company will pull you up, even morally. In addition, when communicating with colleagues, you can learn something useful for yourself.
- Think globally. Even if you choose to start cake business, think about how you can further expand, increase profits and work volumes. You always need to go to something more in order to achieve a result.
- Take time to rest. A lady doesn't have to work 20 hours to become a businesswoman from scratch. Everything should be in moderation: rest, work, entertainment. Simply, try to devote less time to the last point.
You can watch an example of a seminar that allows a girl to improve her leadership qualities in this video:
Well, the last, not included in the list of advice for our young readers. If you want to become a business woman from scratch at 10 or 12 years old, we advise you to read the article: how to make money for a girl over 9 years old!
Society is interested. A large amount of money attracts attention and annoys. Many want to believe that they, these “rich”, “are also crying”, that they have a lot of problems. And all just because it is simply impossible not to pay attention to a business woman: they are socially active.
Meanwhile, say, a music teacher or an engineer at an institute is an equally interesting object for the attention of psychologists. And they are distinguished from a business woman only by the absence of small specific problems. Therefore, it would be more correct to speak about the problems of professionally oriented women in general.
After all, both the owner of her enterprise and the teacher at school have a certain range of common problems: work, if a woman takes it seriously, takes a lot of her strength, thoughts, creativity, and time. And, accordingly, all the problems that professionally oriented women face can be conditionally divided into "work" and "personal".
"WORKERS"
1. How not to become a workaholic?
The main problem for a working woman. This global theme also includes the question - “Will it become?”. On the one hand, this is perhaps the safest of addictions - it gives rise to self-confidence, a thirst for life, and allows a woman to feel like an outstanding person. But, on the other hand, "workaholism" leads to the inferiority of other aspects of life, primarily personal, leads to stress, overstrain, a feeling of lack of freedom and discomfort from this dependence.
2. Playing on a foreign field.
The second important problem is the unequal starting conditions in business for men and women. It is still relevant in our still patriarchal culture. It is believed that business is a man's business, that women are not capable of leading, that being a leader is not a woman's business.
As a result, in order for a woman to receive equal respect with a man, she needs to expend not as much effort as a man, but 2.5 times more! This creates its own psychological problems. And as a rule, again, not only workers (difficulty in negotiating, conflict, aggressiveness of women in business), but also personal ones.
There is, as it were, a well-known opinion that "whatever a woman does, she must remain feminine and charming." And when she - simply under the terms of business - has to be not charming, statements like: “Well, what do you want from her - she works hard for days!” or even worse: “Is she on her period?!”. By the way, in American culture, to such a sexist attack, psychology textbooks recommend that women respond: “No, I’m just ANGRY!”
3. Everything must be in order in the household!
Many women - due to their upbringing and traditions - have an attitude that the right woman should have cleanliness in the apartment, a supply of clean linen, food, the child should be healthy. To this installation is added the "Soviet sense of duty" - to the family, to the state. And now a woman has a horror that everything flows past her, life is uncontrollable. Yes, a woman is indeed socially trained to be responsible for a lot of little things. But this perfectionist attitude is often transferred by women to work.
The degree of concern becomes higher, since in any business there are many more things than in the house that cannot be controlled by one person. Because of the desire to keep absolutely everything under personal control, it is much more difficult for women to delegate authority at work.
What danger is fraught with the desire to "do everything better than everyone else"? The constant stressful state of a female leader, at least. In addition, this clearly harms the work: not having time to keep track of everything, but not giving leadership to subordinates, a woman loses in business! This problem exists in Western culture too. Even the psychological term "superwoman complex" has been created: "an ideal mother, daughter, wife, mistress, boss."
In itself, the need for high achievements in everything and at once is not very healthy. You need the ability somewhere to say to yourself “stop” or “I will do it the way I do it!”, to develop in yourself, if I may say so, “healthy indifference”! And the main skill that needs to be developed is not the ability to “jump as high as possible”, but the ability to set the bar yourself! And within reasonable limits, female attention to detail and the pursuit of excellence is not a minus, but a plus for a business woman.
PERSONAL
Personal problems business woman are the same as those of their "home" girlfriends. These are family problems, problems of misunderstanding with children, dissatisfaction with oneself, loneliness. But due to being busy at work and lacking emotional strength to communicate with loved ones, these problems are especially exacerbated for them.
Children for whom there is not enough time, husbands who need to “pour out their souls” to someone, but instead they are forced to spend time watching TV at best, and at worst to listen to complaints about work from their wife. In addition, it is not necessary to discount the pride of husbands - not every man will calmly endure when a strong, independent, wealthy woman is nearby.
The result is family problems. But problems in the family inevitably affect the conduct of business!
But for those who have no family, the situation is no better. It is not so easy for a business woman to get married - new or first. Often this is associated with women's self-doubt: they do not perceive themselves as attractive women, knowing, suspecting and often mistaken that men see them only as a business partner.
As a result, they don’t know how to present themselves, they don’t have purely feminine ways of communicating with men - and again we return to the problem of “role conflict”: they behave like men, dress like men and think like men. This loss of identity can be very painful. And it is also necessary to work with it individually or in groups.
Another problem: it is difficult for men to accept that a woman knows how, maybe knows no less than they do. So it turns out that, on the one hand, business women are trying to look for a “life partner” among businessmen, they gravitate towards socially close circles, and on the other hand, our successful women have nothing to count on in their environment!
Another side of the problem of loneliness is the woman's fear of losing her freedom. Successful women have big problems when someone tries to control their lives. All the problems that our society has just faced have been passed by women in the West. They have long passed the "school of survival" in a world dominated by masculine values. Women's personal growth groups and individual consultants have been of great help in this.
In Western culture, it has become the norm that successful women have their own psychologist, just like their hairdresser or dentist. The second most common topic of discussion in secular conversations of a business woman is the topic of personal growth. Most business women, when asked if they would choose something else if they started over, think for a long time, you can see how offers from an Arab sheikh and similar opportunities flicker in their eyes, but then they say apologetically: “I I would have done a lot differently, but in general - no!” And this means that in general - they can and should be happy!
Based on materials: Personnel training center "Class"
Ekaterina Mikhailova
