Two momentous promotions recently occurred. Janet Yellen was promoted from Vice Chairman of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System to the 15th Chairman of the Federal Reserve. And Mary Barra transitioned from Executive Vice President of Global Product Development, Purchasing and Supply Chain at General Motors to Chief Executive Officer of General Motors. Both promotions are a first, and realized after the women had spent 20+ years at their respective organizations. Is there a hidden nugget for you in these two events? Clearly, both women persevered and got results. But having a strong network, in addition to demonstrating results, matters just as much. Research from Catalyst shows that having sponsors, leaders with power and influence who give visibility to your strengths and push to get you opportunities, can make a huge difference.
What are you doing to build a powerful network of advocates? When was the last time you took a hard look at your network and how you cultivate and leverage key relationships? If this is something you struggle with, you can find easy-to-implement strategies to develop and strengthen your network in my WOW! Women On the Way to Peak Performance Program℠. Given the importance of this skill set, I have dedicated a complete module to Building a Network of Advocates – to help you get results for the business and your career (this module is also included in WOW LiteSM).
I have no doubt that Mary and Janet developed strong networks within their companies, their industries and personal lives – and it has served them well. How do you want to put this into play for yourself this year?