This is a call to action for women in business everywhere.  I want to hear your voice.  I want to hear your accomplishments.  I want you to be vocal in communicating your successes and own your results.

I’m a huge believer in the power of women to transform both our workplaces and the world.  If you look at the world, it isn’t working.  And, I don’t think that women should try to fix the world by fitting into a model designed by men. This statement isn’t anti-men.  I think men are fantastic.  I’m married to one!  But, at the same time I believe that the future of business and the transformation the world needs will come from women bringing a new model to business, corporations and philanthropy. 

Women bring superior communication skills, empathy and flexibility.  In this new era of social communication, project based work, and an ever changing landscape of competition and technology, these skills are incredibly meaningful.  Women deal with change extremely well and the ability to lead effectively in a changing environment is one of the most sought after skills in leadership. 

According to the National Household Survey, Statistics Canada:

• Women accounted for 59.1% of young adults aged 25 to 34 with a university degree.
• Women represented nearly two-thirds (62.2%) of adults aged 25 to 34 with a medical degree.
• Women accounted for 59.1% of adults aged 25 to 24 with a master’s degree.

In Canada more than 1/3^rd of women earn more than their husbands.   However, the next statistics aren’t as exciting (note the statistics were broken down by ethnicity).  A white male between 35 and 44 with a bachelor’s degree will earn more than 10K more than a woman with the same education.  The median income in Canada is $82,899.  But if you are a white female between 35 and 44 the median income in Canada is $70,225.    That is a $12,674 difference.  Why does this happen? 

I believe I have identified something that can close this gap. I own an executive search firm and have interviewed thousands of candidates.  Women interview differently than men.  While they may put their accomplishments on their resume, they are often reluctant to talk about them.  And when they DO talk about their accomplishments, women will say “We did this”. “Our team accomplished x”.  When I interview men it’s “I” and not “we”.  In my experience the men I interview share their accomplishments readily.  They take ownership of the results and include statistics and evidence to back what they are saying. 

I recently interviewed an accomplished female executive.  She was literally doing the work of two people and had consistently won awards.  But, when I asked her why she wasn’t bringing this up in her interview examples she said “I don’t want to brag.” I hear this “I don’t want to brag” comment from women all the time and I want it to stop.

Most of the time, what women think is bragging when it comes to career accomplishments doesn’t even come close.  What most career women call bragging, I call taking personal responsibility for your results and accomplishments. Bragging, Boasting and being Bold are NOT the same thing as Sharing your Results and Accomplishments!

Look at these dictionary definitions:

Braggart – noun

A person who boasts loudly or exaggeratedly; bragger

Boast – verb

1. To speak with exaggeration and excessive pride, especially about oneself.
2. To speak of with excessive pride or vanity
3. Exaggerated or objectionable speech.

Bold – adjective

Not hesitating to break the rules of propriety; forward; impudent.

Is sharing an accomplishment and talking about how you did it the same thing as exaggerating, breaking the rules of propriety or having excessive pride?  I don’t think so.

If you accomplish something at work but don’t talk about it, it’s almost like it never happened.  Hiring managers and interviewers are not mind readers.  If you don’t say it – they won’t know.  And when you do talk about your accomplishments and share how you got there, it is not only exciting, but it’s the sort of thing that gets you promotions, credibility and increased salaries in job offers.

It is possible to share your accomplishments while being gracious and humble at the same time.  In fact, when people do that while still owning their part in the accomplishment it is inspiring! 

So to all the women out there in business, if talking about and owning your accomplishments is what you previously thought of as bragging – then I want you to Brag, Boast and be Bold!  Share your voice.  Lead the way.  You’ve earned it and you deserve to be rewarded for your hard work and accomplishments.  But more importantly business and corporations need your leadership and the world needs your contribution. 

Shanna Landolt has been featured as an expert on LinkedIn and Hiring on NBC, CBS, ABC, Fox and CityTV.  Her recruitment firm, The Landolt Group specializes in pharmaceutical and biotechnology search.  Her consulting firm, Secrets from a Headhunter works with corporations to leverage the combined power of their employee’s networks to attract talent.  Secrets From a Headhunter also works with individuals and executives to create a unique LinkedIn profile to optimize their personal brand.

You can contact Shanna Landolt, President of Secrets From a Headhunter and The Landolt Group at 416-849-3855 or shanna@shannalandolt.com