In a study conducted by the Center for Talent Innovation, it was determined that there were five key things women want from their position of leadership.
They want to:
- Flourish
- Excel
- Work for meaning and purpose
- Empower others and be empowered
- Earn well
I was curious by the concept of flourishing. I am not sure that I’ve heard a man say that he wants to flourish in his career; so what does it mean to women?
According to the report from CTI:
Women flourish and flower when they feel they have agency and impact; when they have the ability to self-actualize. Flourishing is grounded in health and well-being, as well as in freedom and autonomy. When women have a real measure of control, they can manage competing demands in ways that sustain their physical well-being, replenish their energy, and fulfill their emotional and spiritual needs.
I wanted to know a little bit more about what flourishing means and found Jeffrey Volkmann, Ph.D, who specializes in the importance of flourishing:
People who flourish increases their happiness, well-being and purpose in life. In order to flourish people must understand and cultivate their strengths. Through the cultivation of strengths people will be able to build and or deepen their interpersonal relationships, increase the amount of pleasure they experience, and contribute to society in a meaningful way.
It becomes clearer why it is important to feel as though you are flourishing in your career. In the CTI study, they asked women who sought a leadership position if they felt being a leader would help them flourish at work. A small group of 18% thought it would but then women in leadership roles were asked the same question and 58% responded that “yes” they were flourishing in their career.
Jeffrey Davis M.A. has examined the concept of flourishing at work a little further and found that there are five traits of those who flourish
- They can direct and re-direct their attention. The people I work with who flourish are willing to learn how to watch their minds, plumb their minds, and pragmatically direct and re-direct their attention toward meaningful ends.
- They shape time with intention and for impact. The people I work with who flourish are willing to learn how to cultivate a different relationship to time. They find meaningful methods to assume charge over their hours and days and weeks.
- They design their creative and business practice for constant improvement. The people I work with are willing to break down their projects into the skills they need to hone and the skills they need to learn. They also willingly look at what skills and talents they already possess that we can bring forward to their work.
- They receive constant feedback from trusted mentors and peers. People—with some exceptions—who insist upon creating in a silo ultimately flounder.
- They assure they experience moments of delight, meaning, and rejuvenation. Delight is an emotional experience that awakens our skin, deepens our eyes, widens our ears, opens our nose, and tickles our tongue.
So the question begs to be asked…Are you flourishing in your current position? What changes should you make to ensure you feel that strong sense of purpose, creativity, and success?
JJ DiGeronimo, the President of Tech Savvy Women, advanced from entry-level positions into leadership positions within technology companies. Through her keynotes and executive sessions, JJ shares effective leadership and inclusion strategies to retain, develop and advance professional women. JJ includes these experiences in her book new book “Accelerate Your Impact” which complements her 2011 book, “The Working Woman’s GPS.” JJ has been quoted in numerous publications including Forbes, The Wall Street Journal, and Fox Business. She now shares her women in business expertise with Amazon, Ingram Micro, RIT, IBM, Clemson University, Symantec, VMware, Discover, KeyBank, and Cisco along with many other organizations.
