Accelerating career growth does not look the same way for everyone. Men and women have fallen victim to the common myths below.
Have you been passed over for a promotion or stuck in your role for far too long? Across all industries and roles, women are promoted at a slower rate than men.
Here are the most common beliefs people mistakenly follow in their positions that do not lead to career growth.
Myth #1: The biggest obstacle in your career is your manager
If you are always saying you have an “incompetent boss," or you are waiting for your boss to notice your accomplishments and promote you, you may need to take responsibility and face the fact that no one is going to give you what you are looking for unless you ask for it. If you have already approached your manager and he or she doesn't seem ready to help you advance, it may be because you need to work on the skillset for the next position and prove you can take on these responsibilities by demonstrating that to your boss. Your manager will be accountable for how prepared you are for this next role, so they may be hesitant to advance you until they are absolutely sure you won't make mistakes (even if you feel you are ready). Try to find ways to demonstrate your skillset without waiting for your manager to ask you for the type of work involved in the role you are working towards.
It's also not up to your mentor or coach to automatically help you move up to the next rung. Take important advice from these coaches if you are lucky enough to have one of them, but the work should be done by you.
Myth #2: Being a high performer gives you more opportunities
Not all top performers are ready to take on the next role. Managers may recognize the skills in top performers that are perfect for their current role, or they may just want to keep them where they shine. Losing this hard work in the top performers' current positions would be difficult for their managers. Get around this by showing your manager you have the skills that fit the next role, and you have the abilities to perform that role at a high level too.
It's not up to others to connect you to people who will help change your future. Take action into your own hands.
Myth #3: I am fine on my own, I don't need anyone's help.
I am fine on my own, I don't need anyone's help, and I am not going to ask for financial support for a coach. This mentality can be just as unproductive as relying too heavily on others for your advancement. No matter how much you like to work on your own, you always should make connections and communicate what you're working towards so that the people above and around you can support you if the situation arises.
Myth #4: "You have to look like me and think like me to be successful."
There are more ways than one to be successful. If a manager wants you to conform to their exact way of doing the job and micromanages your every move, they aren't allowing you to share your ideas that could end up saving the company time and money. You shouldn't be afraid to speak up just because your ideas are different than your manager's. You do not need to be like someone else in order to be fulfilled in your career.
Myth #5: One in four women think their gender plays a role in their promotion.
Men are promoted at a faster rate than women. While there may be systematic problems in some corporations, the source of the issue tends to be from --- I speak up against the biases against others, I fear I will get fired.
Myth #6: Imposter Syndrome
No one hires you based on what you do not know or skills you do not have- so stop worrying that you aren't qualified. It's great to keep growing and learning, but you were hired for the position you're in because your manager saw something in you. If you think you are lacking a skill, get outside your comfort zone and ask questions, take on extra work or research ways to learn that skill.
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