Why community counts for women who are growing their careers

Sisters are doing it for themselves, girl power, I’m every woman - these popular global movements don’t fit the myth that women don’t support other women. Whilst ‘queen bee syndrome’ has drawn attention and makes sweeping generalisations about how women behave towards each other at work, more recent research shows that rather than being overly competitive and cutthroat, women in particular benefit from collaboration over competition. 

Study after study shows women who support other women are more successful.  Over the summer I’ve been promoting my business at conferences and events and it has reminded me of the power of community.  Networking, sharing experiences, and challenges, reaching out for help and support; being part of a community that goes beyond the boundaries of your organisation gives you a valuable and more diverse perspective. 

Women who are trying to progress their careers or step up and into leadership roles face challenges that make it harder for them to advance, such as unconscious bias.  In fact, studies have shown that changing the name on a CV from a woman’s to a man’s increases the chance of that person being recruited by 61%.  Studies also show that one of the ways to overcome these challenges is for women to network and form close communities with other women, including women who have been there and done that. 

Being part of a community could be the missing part of your career growth

Not everyone works in a job that has development on tap, with access to mentors and role models. A professional community could fill a gap that your current role might not provide.  Taking the work out of networking, there are clear benefits to being part of a community of like-minded professional women when we want to grow careers

Support and encouragement

Like-minded people who provide emotional support and motivation. They understand the challenges and can offer lived experience and encouragement to overcome them.  

Learning and growth

Being part of a community is an opportunity for personal growth and learning. Gaining new perspectives, insights, and knowledge.

Accountability

Accountability plays a crucial role when it comes to getting stuff done and making progress towards your goals. Sharing where you want to go with others, and speaking it out loud creates a sense of responsibility and motivation to follow through.  It’s also a space to recognise and celebrate your own achievements and get motivation by seeing other people achieve theirs. 

Networking and collaboration are made easier

Online communities offer great platforms to connect with diverse people who share common interests. It’s also an easy way to expand your professional and social network. Partnerships within a community can boost your development and offer up opportunities you might not have found elsewhere.

Research in the Harvard Business Review finds that while both men and women benefit from having a network of well-connected peers across different groups, women who also have an inner circle of close female contacts are more likely to land executive positions with greater authority and higher pay, while there was no link found for the success of men in terms of the gender composition of their inner circles.

Why do communities play such a big role in women's career development?

Growth and development

Communities can provide skill-building, training, and resources aimed at women and designed to enhance their personal and professional growth. Extensive studies have shown that women are prone to more intense self-doubt than men, and it is not because we’re missing a special confidence gene. In fact, focusing on confidence is almost part of the problem rather than the solution.  Being part of a professional community allows you to ask honest questions and get constructive feedback; it’s hard to build skills and advance in your career if you don’t know what to do.

Possibilities 

There’s a saying “You can’t be what you can’t see.”  Joining professional networks and communities where there are other women who are also looking at professional development and designing their careers can show you what’s possible.  It can also encourage you to start considering what you could do rather than what you should do. 

Empowerment

They provide a safe space for women to express themselves, share experiences, and support each other. A space to meet women who are facing similar challenges and overcoming them.

Mentors and role models 

Communities provide access to other women who can guide you and inspire development. Seeing those who have success in a sector is invaluable. You can find out how they did it and how you can it too it too

Get support for every stage of your career

Women supporting women is key and part of that is networking with other women professionals. Often the best place to do this is in female-centric communities which tend to be about supporting each other and creating a safe space to allow women to vent, be vulnerable, and be themselves.

Addressing specific challenges and tailored to women’s experiences 

Places where the focus is on women’s specific challenges such as gender inequality, workplace discrimination, and balancing work with family and care responsibilities.  It's not going to change the systems overnight but will help women navigate and overcome them with support. 

What supportive communities are you part of?

The workplace can be harder on women and we are harder on ourselves. That means that we don’t always get the support we need to make progress in our careers. Do you need to spend some time reviewing where and who you spend your time with and how this impacts your career growth?

Are the communities you are in supportive and helpful where you feel uplifted by others and in turn you uplift them?