Week 73: Owning Your Ideas – #AlphaFemaleFriday

Week 73: Owning Your Ideas – #AlphaFemaleFriday

“ WEEK 73 / 133 – 133 WEEKS TO SUCCESS “

I was watching Open House New York when a real estate agent gleefully advised viewers on how to spot the next up and coming neighborhood. I already knew the answer before he opened his mouth (i.e. look for “artsy” neighborhoods where millennial hipsters are rushing in along major transit hubs—neighborhoods that may have once been considered seedy and are now being labeled as TRENDY!) I sat there, shaking my head, thinking to myself: well, I could have given that advice, too! I could have just as easily given it for free.

This got me thinking: what kind of advice is worth giving for free versus asking for something in return? In the same way that we ask people for favors knowing that such requests are quid pro quo, we should give out ideas in that same vain. You are not a magic 8 ball—you do not have to give out your advice or your ideas for free.

When I say “free”, it does not mean that you have to have a monetary exchange right then in there. When you speak your mind and give your advice, don’t be afraid to ask for something in return, whether it be highlighting the fact that this advice came from you (taking ownership of your ideas), asking for an intro to someone (networking), or knowing that you will have to ask for a favor or exchange of ideas in the future (quid pro quo).

Share your thoughts and speak about them with passion, grit, and vigor. No one can sell your own idea quite like you can. We are meant to collaborate together in order to achieve something greater than ourselves. Remember that asking for something in return is not being greedy, but simply leveling that playing field. No one will vouch for you if you don’t ask them to.

Cheers,

Kelly

@AlphaFemSociety tweets by @KellyRGonzales

About:

Each week, I take a tip from Lois P. Frankel’s book, Nice Girls Still Don’t Get the Corner Office, and explore how each of these tips affect myself and other women in similar positions on the road to becoming the women we want to be. There are far and few between who are a few steps behind me, and many more who are far advanced. I found that Lois P. Frankel’s advice applied to novice, intermediates, and experts alike. It helped me see that I was already doing right, served as a reminder to keep on doing what I was doing and how to keep that momentum going. The book also showed me areas where I could improve, and gave realistic tips to jump on board. There are a total of 133 tips, and explore one tip per week in a program I call: 133 Weeks to Success.

Join the movement using the hashtag #133WeeksToSuccess with posts which are posted every #AlphaFemaleFriday.