15 Ways for Women to Address Likability vs Competency Dilemma
Likeability versus competency. It’s a dilemma almost every woman in the workplace struggles to balance.
Attendees at the most recent Women in Business luncheon got some fantastic tips on striking that balance from Dr. Patricia Gorman, Managing Director of Goff Strategic Leadership Center. Gorman spoke to a full room about ways women can become strategic leaders in their careers. The lecture was jam-packed with honest and practical assessments of the current workplace landscape and what women can do to be successful.
The likability vs competency conundrum creates a false binary where women need to decide if they want to be likable (helpful, supportive, not-respected or thought of as a leader) vs competent (assertive, strategic, not liked, ‘bossy’), Gorman said. She shared 15 tips to address the dilemma:
- Support decisions with analysis
- Balance inclusiveness with decisiveness
- Provide reference information
- Recalibrate risk tolerance
- Cultivate personal agility
- Learn to seek feedback
- Depersonalize conflict
- Get comfortable with power
- Build coalitions
- Tolerate ambiguity
- Recalibrate risk tolerance
- Act quickly when necessary
- Consider multiple perspectives
- Practice communication type and tone
- Understand the systems you operate in
Learn more about strategic leadership at Goff Strategic Leadership Center and get involved in an upcoming strategic leadership training event.
