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If I Work Hard and Do Well, I Will Be Recognized and Promoted - Not

The door has been unlocked. There arethings where we are, before we will
more women than ever in high-payingconsider a promotion. "I'm not ready to
jobs. Yet most working women, even thosemove on, I haven't done everything I
in management, are clustered intowant to with this department." What's
predominately female jobs and careerthe difference how we leave things? As
paths. These women are almost alwayssoon as we're gone, things will change,
lower-paid than men and women who workno matter what we have accomplished. We
in male-dominated positions. None of usneed to point out our accomplishments
can single-handedly change the wayand our ability to learn and expand. We
things operate in corporate America.need to move on, leaving unfinished work
But, we can change jobs. If we want tobehind.
earn more money, the most assured way isWomen are more likely to leave our jobs
to do the jobs which pay more. You areand careers in the hands of others. We
much more prepared to do this than youlet someone else decide what we can do
may think. Awareness is the first step.and can't do, or when we are ready to
Many of us need to see the workplace asmove on. They're waiting for us to speak
it really is.up. They decide we are happy where we
If I work hard and do well, I will beare. We are seen as "patient and
recognized and promoted - Notcooperative." While these may be nice
An executive told Working Woman Magazineattributes to have, they usually do
"Women are the best bargains around...nothing to increase our incomes. We need
They think if they work harder, they'llto take charge of our own careers and
be recognized." Do we really want to belives. Things won't turn out exactly as
known as "the best bargains around?"we plan, but it is a great improvement
While we faithfully execute the job atover leaving it up to others.
hand, people around us are promoted toThe way we work causes us to appear
higher-paying positions. I believe thereunqualified for other kinds of
are several factors which contribute topositions. Women are more likely to be
this misconception. Women are moretask-oriented, rather than
likely to value modesty, and we areresults-oriented. We pride ourselves on
cautious not to over-state ourour ability to get a lot done and check
abilities. We prefer to have our workoff long lists of duties. We are more
speak for itself, rather than pointingoften comfortable taking orders,
out our accomplishments to anyone.preferring to understand exactly how we
Meanwhile, our savvy colleagues haveare expected to perform a job. We want
learned to speak up for themselves,to be measured on how hard we work, what
perhaps even take credit for others'long hours we put in, and how accurate
efforts, and ask for (sometimes demand)our work is.
more responsibility and pay. Everyone isThe jobs in American business which pay
so busy doing their own job, they don'tmore are much more likely to be
recognize our achievements the way weresults-oriented. They require the
think they will. We are left with theindividual to focus on the end result;
jobs we have. Perhaps we decide thatprofit, profit margin, expense
someone else was more "qualified."reduction. Tasks often have to be
Perhaps we decide that things were doneabbreviated, delegated, or abandoned, if
unfairly this time, but that things willthey don't directly contribute to the
change. We hold tight to our fantasy andend result. In fact, the higher paid the
to our current position with itsposition, the more likely that the goal
corresponding pay.will be defined, but the job will not.
Because we may define competency"Increase new business by $400,000,
differently than men (see; Women inreduce the reject rate to .03%, increase
Those High Paying Positions Haveproductivity by 20%," are goals which
Something I Don't Have, by Patriciamight define a position. The process for
Smith) we may tend to over-emphasize ourachieving these goals is as least partly
mistakes, and under-emphasize ourundefined and must be authored by the
achievements. We are convinced thatperson doing the job. To do the jobs
anyone who has performed less than 100%which pay more, women must learn to live
perfectly, accurately, completely, 100%with these job descriptions. We must
of the time is not yet ready for anotherlearn to work toward accomplishing
assignment. We stay in the same positiongoals. Many, many women have learned to
longer. We convince ourselves that welive with these undefined positions, so
will speak up and speak out as soon ascan we.
we have earned that right. We watchAwareness is the first step. Small
others around us move into high-payingadjustments can make a big difference.
positions and wonder why suchThis is a process, we don't have to be
incomplete, shoddy work is rewarded.perfect at the game of business, no one
We are more likely to want to perfectis. We just have to be better.



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