As Jame’s Brown so confidently declares, “this is a man’s world”. But how different would the world be if women were on top? 

As women, we’re told a very clear message from a young age–stay in your lane! From what we wear, what we eat, and what we think, our gender roles are reinforced in every stage of our life. 

But what about the woman who wants to step outside the box? What about the woman who isn’t okay with following the rules?  

As you can imagine, being an out-of-the-box woman in the workplace isn’t always seen a good quality. But more often than not, we are our own worst enemy. 

I recently had the pleasure of chatting with Angela Hosking, nurse, mother, and founder of Her One Tribe, LLC. As a keynote speaker, consultant, and author, Angela empowers women to create new identifies without barriers by breaking the “good girl” patterns and limitations that shape our lives and career paths. 

The “Good Girl Paradox”, as Angela refers to it, is a distorted way of thinking that most women are hardwired with at an early age. While gender roles and expectations reinforce the idea that “if I follow the rules and do everything right, people will see that I’m the best person for the job”, Hosking challenges these toxic thinking patterns and empowers women to change their mindset, so they can get what they want out of life, and their careers. 

“A girl should be two things: who and what she wants” – Coco Chanel 

Angela’s book Woman On Top: Lead Like a Lady Boss recognizes the challenges that women face in the business world, including: 

• Lead like a man mentality 
• Imposter syndrome 
• Respecting female leadership 
• Managing “wild card” workers 
• Differing perspectives in leadership 
• Newbies in leadership roles 

Our “good girl syndrome” holds us back from slaying the business world. But what if we stopped the self-sabotage and started getting our validation from ourselves, and not the rest of the world? 

Our unique perspective is needed in the business world! As community-based inclusive creatures, we are focused on the good of teams as a whole, seeking ways we can all win together. So my food for thought is, why lead like a man, when you can lead like a woman? 

Here are a few tips to help you get over good girl syndrome: 

• Conflict is necessary in the workplace. Once you accept that conflict is a useful tool, you can start figuring how to manage it successfully. 

• Separate your business choices from human choices. A man in the workplace wouldn’t think twice about firing a non-performer, and you shouldn’t either. 

• Don’t just focus on confidence, also focus on building your skills. Skills such as relationship skills, negotiation skills, and professional skills are essential in leadership roles. 

• You don’t have to be a people pleaser! Not everyone is going to like you, and that’s okay.  

• Go after what YOU want for your life, and not what you’re conditioned to believe you want as a woman. It’s not selfish to get what you want out of life!

At NursePreneurs we are doing our part to empower female nurses to be their own lady boss and get outside the box to create the life and career that they want for themselves. To learn more about how we can help be your own boss, contact us today!  

Check out my interview with Angela Hosking here