by Solange Lopes | Oct 28, 2014 | Career
Would you tell on a co-worker to advance your career – Photo: fakingnews.firspost.com
I wrote earlier about women being able to work together without competing with each other. Oftentimes, and very much unfortunately, it’s not the case, hence generating generous (and unproductive) amounts of unjustified betrayal and backstabbing in the workplace. And this happens not just in between women…
Actually, what with this precarious economy and competitiveness at work, it seems even purpose-oriented millenials are willing to lie and cheat at work to advance their careers. Granted, there are certainly instances when reporting a co-worker’s inappropriate behavior is justified. However, tattling on a co-worker can be unhealthy at best, and even flat-out dangerous!
My $0.05: Telling on a co-worker, whether to the boss or to other colleagues who may be inclined to repeat the information, is a serious matter. Check your motives! If you’re spewing out potentially career-damaging information about your co-worker to make yourself look better, think twice! You may be causing irreparable damage to him/her, and to yourself by appearing like the office tattle-teller. If you are reporting a concerning situation with possible legal and/or ethical ramifications, seeking Human Resources’ advice first, and possibly consulting with your boss, is best!
So, did you ever tell on a co-worker? Would you?
[polldaddy poll=8406875]
The Corporate Sis.
by Solange Lopes | Oct 28, 2014 | Career
Via Spiga Faux Leather Trim Front Zip Coat – $209.90 – Photo: nordstrom.com
I have a fashion crush on this Via Spiga Faux Lather Trim Front Zip Coat from Nordstrom. I actually tried it on, and the fit is superb! Loving the sophisticated glam of the stand collar, along with the faux leather inserts on the shoulders and waist. Who needs a nip and tuck when you have a coat that flatters every inch of your silhouette. This beauty is $209.90 (down from $315.00) at Nordstrom!
Just imagine how amazing this coat would look over these glam high-waisted pants from Ann Taylor (pssst…Ann Taylor is having a 60% sale for a limited time)! I’d add these killer cutout peep toe booties when the weather permits, or these suede cap toe heels!
Seen a great fashion pick? Email me at corporate@thecorporatesister.com!
The Corporate Sis.
by Solange Lopes | Oct 28, 2014 | Career
women-working-together – photo: theceomamma.com
As women, two of the things we are often faulted with at work is being overly emotional, and competing against each other. While terms such as competitiveness and aggressiveness tend to be associated more with male characteristics, females have since the beginning of times battled to attract a suitable male by promoting youth and physical attractiveness.
As we’ve evolved from primitive intra-sexual competition to the most compelling feminist theories, and now to the fight for gender equality and equal pay for equal work, the fear at the root of competitiveness between women is still very much alive. Fear that there is not enough room for all of us to have meaningful careers. Fear that one woman’s success diminishes others’.
So much so that, according to a recent Pew survey, more women admitted they’d prefer working with men, than men did. Not to mention the fact that according to the Workplace Bullying Institute, more female bullies (53.7 percent Vs. 39.9 percent male) engage in sabotage at work! And it seems women at higher levels are not particularly inclined to help other women get ahead! Reminds you of high school?
Yet in the same token, it appears competition may make women less effective at work, as it kills our creativity. If we are so much better than men at working in teams and collaborating, why are we still undermining each other? Will we ever be able to work together and nix the unhealthy competition that brings us all down?
I believe so. I do think we have some ways to go, myself included. Yet more and more women are starting to realize that promoting other women, seeking other more successful, powerful women, as threatening as it may initially seem, gives us a leg up. For women to band together and create powerful networks, we must realize the pool of opportunities is as endless as we make it. And that one woman’s power and success is a reflection on all of us…
Do you think women can work together without competing?
The Corporate Sis.
by Solange Lopes | Oct 27, 2014 | Career
Photo: girlfriendphilosophy.com
I’ve written before about your network, especially at work, really being your net worth. Yet, considering how much time we spend at work, and how much we interact with co-workers, bosses and managers, it’s kinda hard to avoid creating meaningful relationships. Oftentimes, our work buddies end up being our best friends. And even we don’t end up necessarily fostering life-long friendships at work, these relationships still impact us in some way or another.
In any case, whether you’re a loner or the office “popular girl”, who you hang out with at work matters! Not just for your own well-being but also as related to how you’re perceived by both your peers and higher-ups. Hanging out with Pookie n’em at the watercooler will certainly not make you well-perceived (quite to the contrary)…
My $0.05: Your network is really your net worth. Hanging out with unprofessional co-workers will make you appear unprofessional as well, no matter how friendly they may be. Besides, in work as in life, choosing friends and acquaintances from whom you can learn is always a plus. So pick wisely!
Do you choose who you hang out with at work?
The Corporate Sis.
by Solange Lopes | Oct 27, 2014 | Career |
A-Line Dress – $89 – Photo: bloomingdales.com
This dress is the epitome of “functional simplicity”. Loving the clean lines on this Karen Kane 3/4 sleeve, A-line dress! With a ballerina neckline and an always flattering A-line silhouette, this dress looks perfect any day at work or after-hours! The dress is $89 at Bloomingdale’s.
I’d layer this dress under a stylish, colorful blazer like this wool blended one, or break up the A-line silhouette with this tweed jacket, and voila!
The Corporate Sis.
by Solange Lopes | Oct 27, 2014 | Career
Photo credit: beyondblackwhite.com
I’m a bit on the emotional side. And yes, I may have cried at work, once…or twice maybe! When it comes to emotional management at work, women have been repeatedly (and quite offensively, if you ask me), deemed as overly emotional in the workplace.
While some say it is now getting easier to show emotion at work, the majority seem to applaud emotional displays when coming from men, and frown upon them when displayed by women. Yet, as we are all becoming increasingly aware of the importance of emotional intelligence at work, it is more and more evident that successful women should all but hide their emotions at work, for fear these powerful outlets of anger, sadness or fear emphasize an already existing bias of weakness among women.
Yet, temper tantrums and other bursts of much more destructive anger from male leaders are often seen as signs of power and strength. If so, then, how can we, as women, leverage the power of our emotions as competitive advantage in the workplace:
1. Do NOT repress your emotions! Emotions are our body’s way of dealing with life. It’s not so much our emotions than how we react to them that sets us apart for success or failure. Allow yourself to feel and perceive emotionally, as it is the basis of emotional intelligence. It’s your response to what you feel that needs to be controlled.
2.Turn your emotions into Emotional IQ: as women, our acute perceptiveness of our own and others’ emotions gives us an edge over men, especially in the workplace where the merits of Emotional Intelligence are now being highly recognized. While some aspects of Emotional Intelligence, including self-awareness, social skill, empathy and managing one’s emotions, may be dealt with differently by both sexes, women are definitely apt at converting their high emotional quotient into positive, productive Emotional Intelligence.
3. Tailor your reaction to the situation: Regardless of the type of emotion triggered in you, keep in mind every situation calls for an adapted and appropriate reaction. Take some time to feel the emotional trigger, and ask yourself why you are feeling this way. This will help you assess the situation at hand, and give you time to calmly tailor your response to it in a productive, positive manner.
How do you leverage your emotions into Emotional Intelligence?
The Corporate Sis.
by Solange Lopes | Oct 26, 2014 | Career, Find Your Purpose |
Is our lack of faith ruining our careers – Photo: theprayingwoman.com
I know, Faith is one of the F-words at work, and many believe it does not exactly belong in the workplace. Yet, for those who believe in the power of faith in the workplace, it appears faith can even increase our ROI at work.
When we speak of faith at work, many start envisioning us preaching the Word, getting filled with the Spirit and converting souls, right there at our cubicles. While it may have been true at some point, the true meaning of faith at work, in the words of entrepreneur Sandi Krakowski, is in its practice, rather than the preaching of it. Regardless of our beliefs, Faith should make us better people, at work and in life. As we believe in a Higher Good and a higher purpose of our lives, we also strive for the best we can be and the best we can produce. That includes the work we do, the people we deal with at work, and the legacy we leave through our careers.
Faith at work is not about beliefs, and definitely not about religion. It’s about who we are in our daily lives. It’s about the values we are sorely missing in our business world, values like honesty, integrity, wholeness, and love, yes love! After all, haven’t the latest corporate scandals, from Enron and WorldCom to Lehman Brothers and Bernie Madoff, taught us to distrust corporations and their agents? Aren’t regulations like the Sarbanes Oxley Act and the Dodd-Frank Act stern reminders that some of our most essential values have been violated in the worse way? Isn’t our lack of current faith in the markets and the financial systems as a whole, a result of our own lack of faith in general? And isn’t our own lack of faith threatening to ruin the very fruits of our labor and our careers?
At a time when most millenials would be ready to sacrifice a work friendship for a promotion, and employee loyalty is becoming a curse, fear is also at an all-times high among employees and companies alike, as we no longer have much to look forward to or believe in. Yet, we still spend the majority of our lives working. Is it time to stop fearing, and start believing? Is it time to stop our lack of faith from ruining our careers?
The Corporate Sis.
