Week 112: Be Bold, Not Brash – #AlphaFemaleFriday

Week 112: Be Bold, Not Brash – #AlphaFemaleFriday

“ WEEK 112 / 133 – 133 WEEKS TO SUCCESS “

Several months ago I was gifted a little plaque that simply said “be bold”. It looked like it was artfully handwritten, and as I stared at this tiny sign with its crafty writing (because this is a trend now, correct?), I wondered what that actually meant. What’s the difference between being bold and being brash? How do we ask for what we want without people turning away from us? Be bold by using the three “T’s”: timing, tone, and tenacity.

Asking for what you want is all about timing. If you got a hot lead and sent over your information and proposal five minutes ago, unless it’s time sensitive, I wouldn’t recommend following up again ten minutes later to see if they’ve made a decision. If you’re going to ask for a raise or an increase to your T&E budget, don’t ask if you can clearly see your company is don’t so well on the financial end. Evaluate the climate around you and adapt accordingly.

You catch more flies with honey than with vinegar. Use the right tone and let your emotional IQ shine. Picture two different kinds of colleagues: one who asks for your opinion, lets your speak your piece, and recognizes the value you add to the team, and the other who just loves to rant and rave about their inner musings (which quickly turn gossipy), talks over you, and humble brags  about themselves. Yikes—I know which one I’d rather go to when I need a favor. Be the colleague and client you want to work with.

Tenacity: be persistent but not aggressive. Voice what you want but don’t pout and scream if you don’t. Show drive and initiative. Ask questions, solicit feedback, and don’t be afraid of criticism. If you time things accordingly (strike when the iron is hot!), use the right tone (emotional awareness), and are pleasantly stubborn, you’ll quickly see how this combination turns a hardened, brash ask to a shiny, bold favor.

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.