Why women need to expand their professional circles

Many of my female #coaching clients struggle to build and leverage powerful social networks, which can limit their career opportunities. Many women feel uncomfortable "bragging" about their accomplishments, preferring instead to rely on good performance as a primary career strategy. Furthermore, research shows that when they do talk about their accomplishments, doing so has a less positive impact than when men do the same thing. This new research from Carla Rua-Gomez, Gianluca Carnabuci, and Martin C. Goossen shows that women are well served by building high-status networks through shared connections. Women are about one-third more likely than men to form high-status connections via a third-party tie. "Third-party ties serve as bridges, connecting individuals to a high-status network that might otherwise remain out of reach. Such ties help both men and women forge valuable professional connections. But why are third-party ties especially beneficial for women? Because they are not mere connections; they are endorsements, character references, and amplifiers of capability. They carry the implicit approval and trust of the mutual contact. When a respected colleague introduces a woman to a high-status individual, that introduction comes with a subtext of credibility. It signals to the high-status connection that the woman has already been vetted and deemed competent by someone they trust. This endorsement can be a critical factor in gaining access to circles that might otherwise remain closed off due to conscious or unconscious biases." #careerstrategies #women #networking https://lnkd.in/eDBqbQcG

Success can be isolating - but what if the cure for loneliness lies not in being less ambitious, dimming your light, or settling below your potential, but in connecting with others just as driven as you? We continue from our post yesterday, addressing women in leadership who identify as successful, yet feeling lonely or alone in their leadership journey. Now, for many women leaders, the pressures of leadership can create barriers to meaningful connections. However, research shows that support networks both within and outside of work are powerful antidotes to this isolation. Building these intentional connections provides the emotional support, authentic relationships, shared experiences, and practical support that help women leaders not just survive, but truly thrive. Fostering these networks can be a game-changer for you as a woman in leadership. Research from Harvard Business Review reveals that women in senior leadership roles often find it difficult to form genuine peer networks within their organizations. Thus, it becomes harder to find the emotional safety needed to discuss the unique pressures you face. Intentional networking with other women in leadership, both inside and outside of the organization, is crucial. These networks don’t just provide career advancement opportunities, but they create a space for shared experiences, where women can openly discuss challenges, strategies, and successes without fear of judgment. This area is personal to me because it was part of my experience as a senior leader. I had a couple of false starts as I began looking for help. The initial people I reached out to and ask for support were not able to grasp what it was that I was looking for. That was really disappointing. However, the need was still there. I continued to search and explore possible spaces I could fit in as well as peers who could relate with what I was going through. Step by step out of my comfort zone led me to a thriving support community that continues to this day. Research from HBR shows that leaders who have strong support networks experience higher resilience, better decision-making, and increased job satisfaction, all of which enhance both personal well-being and professional performance. Building a support network isn’t just a way to cope with loneliness. It is a pathway to more fulfilling and impactful leadership. When women leaders invest in authentic connections with friends, peers, mentors, and coaches, they open doors to shared wisdom, mutual encouragement, and new perspectives that empower them to lead with confidence. A supportive network essential for women leaders who want to thrive, inspire others, and create lasting change. Do you have a support network in place? Or, are you searching for one? #leadership #africa #leadershipdevelopment #professionalwomen #personaldevelopment

After two decades of coaching high-achieving women leaders, I've observed something that rarely gets discussed in leadership circles. The higher you climb, the more isolated you become. Not by choice, but by circumstance. Recent data confirms what I see consistently: Women in top positions report 34% higher rates of workplace isolation than their male counterparts. More telling, 72% report having no safe space to process strategic challenges with peers who genuinely understand their position. This isn't about loneliness—it's about the absence of strategic thinking partners who operate at your caliber. The women who transform fastest aren't those with the most experience. They're the ones who recognize that their next breakthrough requires alliance, not just more individual effort. That's what drove me to create a space designed specifically for the unique challenges that only make sense to someone leading at the 0.5% level. I've written about this phenomenon and what becomes possible when exceptional women move from isolation to strategic alliance. The full piece explores why traditional networking falls short and how eight carefully selected women are pioneering a new leadership paradigm. Link to the full article is here below. The question isn't whether you've achieved enough to qualify for this conversation. It's whether you're ready to stop carrying the weight of leadership alone. #womeninleadership #ExecutiveCoaching #FemaleLeadership #MasterMind

After founding and scaling a women's organization to 15,000+ members, I know one truth: 89% of women's networks fail to deliver real value. This one won't. As the founder and former CEO of the National Association of Women Sales Professionals (NAWSP), I built a community that transformed careers, not just conversations. Three critical elements I learned about building powerful women's networks: • Success depends on curation, not collection. The right 20 connections outperform 2,000 random ones every time. • Women leaders need spaces designed for their actual lives, not idealized versions. Your calendar is already full. • Networks that drive results focus on action and visibility, not just talk and theory. This is why I immediately recognized the power of the Wednesday Women Membership that just launched today. It's not another crowded Slack group with performative networking. It's built for exec-level women who lead with conviction, value authentic connection, and want every woman to rise. No Instagram-perfect corporate masks. No status symbol price tags. No time-wasting activities. Instead: ✅ Hand-curated and AI-powered network connections that actually matter ✅ Value that fits into your actual life ✅ A community rooted in action, generosity, authenticity, and visibility I've built and led organizations that changed the trajectory of women's careers for over a decade. The Wednesday Women approach aligns with everything I know works. Power doesn't come from larger networks. It comes from strategic ones. What would change if you stopped collecting connections and started cultivating the right ones? P.S. For women executives tired of networks that take more than they give: This is your community. https://lnkd.in/epHyq42c #WednesdayWomen #ExecutiveWomen

I've noticed something during every round of layoffs and budget cuts: When budgets get slashed and teams get reorganized, the first thing that usually goes? Professional development, networking events, and "nice to have" spending. But here's what I've learned after a decade in cybersecurity: The women who weather industry storms best aren't the ones who hunker down and hope for the best... ...They're the ones who double down on community. At events like the Hacker in Heels Salon, magic happens around those tables. Women share intel about hidden job markets. They brainstorm side hustles that could become full businesses. They form partnerships that lead to consulting gigs. Most importantly? They stop seeing each other as competition and start seeing each other as collaborators. When your employer can't guarantee your security, your community becomes your safety net. And those connections you make? They become your customers, your collaborators, your champions when you're ready to bet on yourself instead of waiting for someone else to recognize your worth. The women building wealth in cybersecurity aren't just climbing corporate ladders anymore. They're creating their own opportunities. If your employer won't invest in your networking and development right now, invest in it yourself. Because the women who thrive after layoffs and moments of adversity are the ones who never stopped connecting. #womenincybersecurity #cybersecurity #informationsecurity #boston #cyberjobs

I have been working to dismantle tropes about career pauses for family life for nearly a decade, so it felt like the right moment to build the first professional network for ambitious women on career pauses, or rather the vast in between of the old ideas of “stay at home mom” and “working mother.” I wish every hiring manager could peek inside to understand the breadth of this community’s experience prior to career shifts and the depth of their ongoing curiosity and intention during this current stage, where we are shifting our time and energy to other real life priorities. Every woman who has joined in this first week of THE POWER PAUSE membership is incredibly accomplished and experienced, representing industries from medicine to marketing and from legal to non profit work. This is their place to return to again and again to trade notes, ideas, examples, and opportunities with like minded women in a similar stage who are using this time to shape their next chapter together. Every single one is actively thinking about how to translate her skills into work of meaning alongside family life, whether it is freelance work, entrepreneurship, or ongoing learning and development. For anyone new to a career shift for family life or considering what comes next, I hope you will join us in infusing more possibility and dignity into career shifts for family life. And a reminder that a career pause is not a life pause. You are still growing and moving forward. https://lnkd.in/eY9BJJ2Q

We often talk about the importance of networking. But for women, especially in tech, it’s more than just important. It’s essential. Too often, I see women so heads-down getting the work done, they don’t make space to talk about the impact they’re having. They’re skipping lunch, juggling meetings, and rushing out the door to pick up the kids and manage everything else on their plate. Meanwhile, their male counterparts are finding time to share wins, build visibility, and position themselves for what’s next. This isn’t about ego. It’s about opportunity. My friend Alison Fragale said it best: “You need to toot your own horn—and here’s how to do it.” She’s built a career helping women own their value and advocate for themselves with confidence and clarity. Her book Likeable Badass is a powerful resource for anyone ready to start doing just that. And the data backs it up. 📊 Women who support other women advance 27x faster. (McKinsey & Company) 📊 2 out of 3 women never realized they could become a CEO until a boss or mentor encouraged them. (Forbes) Networking is not optional. Visibility is not optional. It’s time for women to stop waiting to be noticed—and start making sure we’re seen.

𝗪𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻 𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝘄𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗿 𝗹𝗶𝘃𝗲𝘀 𝘄𝗵𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗸 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗮𝗺𝗮𝘇𝗶𝗻𝗴. With 'I love you,' 'I'm here for you,' 'I believe in you,' 'you got this' kind of energy." No competition, no jealousy, no hate. I learned this truth in my darkest hour, when the world felt like it was closing in on me. Four failed medical exams. My parents' silent disappointment. Relatives said that I should stop dreaming and just settle down. Get married. Accept that this path wasn't meant for me. Every rejection felt like the universe screaming: 𝗬𝗼𝘂'𝗿𝗲 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗲𝗻𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵. 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄 But here's what changed everything: A handful of women who refused to let me believe that lie. They weren't successful founders yet. They weren't in powerful positions. Some were struggling themselves. But they saw something in me I couldn't see in myself, potential wrapped in doubt, strength hidden beneath fear. That circle of women didn't just support me. They literally saved my entrepreneurial life, because  • When everyone around you is telling you to quit  • When your own mind is screaming that you're not capable 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝘃𝗼𝗶𝗰𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗹𝗼𝘂𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗱𝗼𝘂𝗯𝘁. 𝗩𝗼𝗶𝗰𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗱 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘄𝗵𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂'𝘃𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗴𝗼𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗻. I think about those women who held space for me when I was invisible. Who believed in my potential before I had proof. Who said "your dreams matter" when I was ready to abandon them. Now I get to be that voice for others. And honestly? It's become the most meaningful part of this entire journey. Look around your life right now. Do you have women who genuinely celebrate your wins? If yes....cherish that circle. Nurture it. Protect it. If no....start building it. Intentionally. Let's build circles so strong that no woman ever has to face her doubts alone again. 💙 Deepika Upadhyay Pathak - Founder, JBPL Darshna Solanki - Co-Founder, Recooty Kirti Meliwal - Co-Founder, Bingage Shivangee Sharma - Co-Founder, Yatrikart Divya Sharma Modi - Co-Founder, Joytree Saatvika Bhargava - Founder, Let it Count Swati Jain - Building Arihant Capital Vyanjana Sharma - Co-Founder, Integra Magna Nupur Phatak Barkha Agarwal Komal Chaturvedi RAKSHITA MEHTA Archhana Agarwaal #WomenEmpowerment #WomenSupportingWomen #FounderJourney #WomenInBusiness #Leadership #Entrepreneurship #Supersourcing

A strong professional network is essential for women in tech. Early in my career, access to mentors and peers who provided guidance was invaluable. They helped me navigate the tech world and introduced me to growth and development opportunities that helped me get where I am today. Some of the best ways I’ve built my network: 1. Seeking mentorship: Find mentors who can offer guidance, share experiences, and provide career advice. Mentorship is crucial for navigating challenges and achieving professional goals. 2. Leveraging social media: Use platforms like LinkedIn to connect with industry leaders, join relevant groups, and participate in discussions. 3. Joining professional organizations: Engage with groups dedicated to women in tech. I highly recommend checking out organizations like AnitaB.org, Million Women Mentors , WOMEN IN TECH ® Global, and Women In Technology (WIT). Networks are crucial for sharing knowledge, finding new opportunities, and gaining the confidence to excel in your career. What tips would you offer to women interested in growing their networks? 

>>>Do you have a networking plan? A sponsor? I've always actively supported women in building their networks. I regularly push my close friends to build their networks. Unfortunately, we are far worse at building social capital than men. What is social capital? Put simply, a high level of social capital means having good relationships with many people and access to valuable and diverse resources. A good relationship denotes strong norms of trust and reciprocity. You could think of this as goodwill, favors, obligation, or solidarity. Women typically have narrow and deep networks, while men have broad and shallow networks. Broad networks help find and spread ideas, while narrow networks provide close support. High-achieving women often have both. Here are 8 strategies to honour March 8 and help women combine local contact with global reach in professional networking: 1️⃣  𝗕𝗲 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗰 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗽𝘂𝗿𝗽𝗼𝘀𝗲𝗳𝘂𝗹 - instead of aiming for a vast network, focus on being strategic with a smaller group of people. 2️⃣ 𝗜𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗳𝘆 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗴𝗼𝗮𝗹𝘀 - determine what you want to achieve through networking 3️⃣ 𝗠𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗮 𝗻𝗲𝘁𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗻 - map out how often you want to network and stick to your plan, balancing broadening your network and deepening existing relationships. 4️⃣ 𝗔𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗻𝗱 𝗹𝗼𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗻𝗲𝘁𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀: Meeting industry professionals at local events can help expand your professional network. Face-to-face interactions are invaluable. (We are running #LinkedInLocal on March 25! You're welcome to join us in person.) 5️⃣ 𝗨𝘀𝗲 𝗼𝗻𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝘀 - start with LinkedIn. Join an online community. 6️⃣ 𝗦𝗲𝗲𝗸 𝗻𝗲𝘁𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘀𝗽𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗼𝗿𝘀 - Find sponsors in your location to gain face time and access to global high-status networks. 7️⃣ 𝗘𝗻𝗴𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗹𝗼𝗰𝗮𝗹𝘀 - volunteer for local events, shop at local markets, or participate in local groups or clubs to build bridges across cultures and languages. Everybody needs friends close by. 8️⃣ 𝗢𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗿 𝘃𝗮𝗹𝘂𝗲 -  provide assistance, share insights, and support your network. When I contact my female friends and acquaintances, I'm sad about how little progress they have made in a year. Why don't we prioritize networking? Time constraints, family obligations, and the mode of a single married parent are the top 3 reasons. That puts us at a disadvantage in accessing career advancement, mentorship, and professional support. I want to know your why? If you have the answers, tell us below.↓