Founder & CEO of eWomenNetwork, Personal & Business Transformation Expert and Founder/CEO of eWomennNetwork, Sandra Yancey, tells a group of women entrepreneurs at the 2018 eWomenNetwork Platinum retreat why she thinks men reach a higher level of success in business than women.
The Gender Imbalance
Many studies have shown that there is an imbalance when it comes to men achieving a higher level of success than women in the workplace. According to The Harvard Business Review it comes down to the difference in goals between men and women. Women tend to have more goals, but men have one - power.
What we attend to, grows. Good and bad. If we decide we are never going to make a million dollars, we probably won't. But if we set our sites on making a million dollars and know that we're worth it and capable of it, there's a good chance we will. That's because we will strategize our business decisions and focus our attention on the end result - making a million dollars. Like Stephen Covey said, "Begin with the end in mind."
Self-Trust
Sandra's mission for eWomenNetwork is "To help one million women each achieve one million dollars in annual revenue." But if women don't trust their intuition and make bold moves, which she alludes to in the video, her mission will be nearly impossible to reach. That's not to say everyone should or even want to achieve one million dollars. After all, one million dollars also brings with it a lot of work and risk. Sandra's underlying goal is to get women to think BIG.
TheHarvard Business Reviewalso shows that women tend to have a negative view of power. They struggle with what it is they will have to sacrifice in order to attain more power - Stress, anxiety, time-constraints to name a few.
The Time for Women is Now
Here's the good news. Despite the fact that some women fear having too much power, they are also unstoppable. According to the 2017 State of Women-Owned Business Report by American Express OPEN, over the past 20 years (1997–2017), the number of women-owned businesses has grown 114% compared to the overall national growth rate of 44% for all businesses. There are currently more than 11 million women-owned businesses in the United States, employing nearly 9 million people and generating 1.7 TRILLION dollars in revenues.
Like it or not, we are a force to be reckoned with. It's time all women jump aboard this bullet train and seize the opportunity that lies before us. Be afraid. But use your fear to motivate rather than retreat. If women like Susan B. Anthony, Harriet Tubman, Gloria Steinem, Dr. Mae Jemison and Malala Yousafzai didn't step out of their comfort zones, women would not have the upper hand like we do now. Make them proud. Stand in your power and go for it.
Author, Phyllis Smith
Content Manager, eWomenNetwork
Program Director, eWN Podcast Network
