Seven Secrets of Successful Women in Business

We all have those successful women we admire who seem to turn everything they touch into gold. I’ve had the opportunity to interact with numerous women like this over the course of my career.  Here are seven secrets of success that I have learned from them that you can benefit from too.

1. Be a Problem Solver. I’ve always been resourceful when it comes to solving problems. According to Jeanne Voight, founder of MindWare, a company that offers brainy toys for kids of all ages, being a problem solver was a key to her success. She said, “I have the ability to look at the whole, find a solution, and then bring people along.”
2. Pace Your Career. Most women, myself included, operate in over-drive in all areas of our lives. The same has been true for Andrea Walsh, President and CEO at Health Partners. Her advice? “Pace yourself. It’s okay to love your work but sometimes you need to make career changes and set limits.” Why? According to Walsh, “You need to have something for the end of the day so you have something to give back to your family.”
3. Network Like a Man. Madeline Albright once said that men spend their time networking while women focus their time on other things. In order to be successful, we need to focus our energy on networking. Deborah Hopp, President of MSPC/ MSP Communications had this to say, “Women need to focus their time on networking. Just like men have the “old boys’ club” we need our own version of the “old girls’ club.”
4. Be a Maximizer. In addition to developing ourselves, we also need to be proactive in developing others, particularly those we surround ourselves with. Nancy Schuelke, Senior Vice President and Regional Affluent Segment Leader at Wells Fargo, applies this success tactic in her work at Wells Fargo. She said, “You have to fully develop people based on their strengths, not their weaknesses. That’s been a key strategy for me.”
5. Think on Your Feet. A key to successful communication, collaboration and effectiveness under pressure is the ability to think on your feet. According to Toni Halleen, Founder and President of Fun with Law, and an Improvisational Comedian, “If you want to develop your ability to think on your feet, then learn to: trust your instincts, say “yes” to new and different ideas, and be an obsessive listener.” Master these three skills for thinking on your feet and you will be well on your way to success.
6. Build a Better Brain Bank. As a life-long learner, this resonates with me on every level. Mary Quist-Newins, Founder, Executive Director and President of Moneyweave Academy said, “Education is the one thing no one can ever take away from you. Never stop learning!” I couldn’t agree more.
7. Ditch the Drama. No one needs more drama in their lives right now. Yet many of us create our own drama out of little or no facts. Cy Wakeman, author of Reality-Based Leadership said, “Stop focusing on what’s happening “to” you. Instead focus on what you can do within your current circumstances to succeed.”

In addition, it’s important to be innovative in order to stay ahead of competition, and it’s critical to be decisive and take risks. If you are not already using these success tactics, pick one or two that you think would be most useful and begin putting them to work for you today. After all, we can all benefit from the secrets of successful women!

Regina

Speaker..Coach..Consultant
“Dream Big. Take Action. Make it Happen.”