This is the final installment in my 3 part series on juggling motherhood with a demanding corporate career, without losing either your health or your sanity. This part is all about networking and bridge-building, making the most of corporate politics (even if you don't like to be political).
1. Build alliances.
Network with like-minded people - this doesn't have to mean women-only networking groups. After all, men usually have far better business contacts, so you don't want to limit yourself. Having said that, you may find that women's networking events may have more convenient times (rather than breakfast meetings, which is usually the busiest time of day for a mother with school-age children). Don't attend random networking events, be selective and decide exactly what you hope to get from each event. A few quality contacts and longer chats may be more productive than just rushing around madly handing out your business cards.
You may also find it useful to get a mentor who has sympathy for your situation but is not in the same boat, so that they can bring a totally fresh perspective and challenge you to go beyond your comfort zone. If your organisation doesn't have a mentoring scheme, many professional associations do. Or get in touch with a former manager with whom you worked really well and ask them to become your mentor. This needn't take up too much of their time: meeting up for coffee or lunch every couple of months and getting their unbiased view on your career progression and how to negotiate organisational politics.
While many women in particular hate office politics,
it is hard to avoid it entirely. Being political doesn't mean you have to be manipulative, sycophantic or power-crazed. You just need to be aware of the agendas and interests of the various team members and stakeholders in the projects you are involved in. Make use of your emotional intelligence - it is said that women are better at understanding hidden agendas. Start building your 'personal board of directors' - individuals from across the organisation, at all levels and functional areas, who could be useful allies and champions of your cause. Mini-mentors who can act as a quick sounding board for you.1. Build alliances.
Network with like-minded people - this doesn't have to mean women-only networking groups. After all, men usually have far better business contacts, so you don't want to limit yourself. Having said that, you may find that women's networking events may have more convenient times (rather than breakfast meetings, which is usually the busiest time of day for a mother with school-age children). Don't attend random networking events, be selective and decide exactly what you hope to get from each event. A few quality contacts and longer chats may be more productive than just rushing around madly handing out your business cards.
You may also find it useful to get a mentor who has sympathy for your situation but is not in the same boat, so that they can bring a totally fresh perspective and challenge you to go beyond your comfort zone. If your organisation doesn't have a mentoring scheme, many professional associations do. Or get in touch with a former manager with whom you worked really well and ask them to become your mentor. This needn't take up too much of their time: meeting up for coffee or lunch every couple of months and getting their unbiased view on your career progression and how to negotiate organisational politics.
While many women in particular hate office politics,
2. Keep your skills sharp.
Take advantage of any training opportunities on offer, especially those that are within your normal working hours and don't require you travelling for days on end.
You may never again have the time to read all the sections of the financial newspapers plus three business books at bedtime, but keep abreast of those essential developments that could have an impact in your field. Subscribe to some online newsletters in your profession and skim through the titles regularly. Find a couple of blogs that you like and trust: there are so many out there now which comment on the latest news in science, medicine, psychology, media, politics, legislation etc.
Also, look out for the less obvious learning opportunities, such as shadowing a more experienced work colleague (with their permission, of course) or working in a culturally diverse or cross-disciplinary team. Be sure to reflect on these experiences and make note of them in a continuing professional development folder, even if it is not required for your profession. It will almost certainly give weight to your discussions and impress your manager at the annual performance review.
3. Finally, don't forget they are lucky to have you.
Far too many women feel a sort of humble gratitude that they are still being 'kept on' in a job share or part-time role, particularly in this economic climate. Don't undervalue yourself! The truth is that women who work part-time tend to be more productive during their working hours than their full-time colleagues (because they don't want to waste any valuable minutes at the water cooler discussing the X Factor). Recent surveys show that the majority of mothers working part-time will work more than their official hours without asking for overtime (again, out of a sense of guilt) and are usually over-qualified for the jobs that they do. So the employer gets a really good bargain, paying a low pro-rata salary for a highly-qualified, productive, docile employee. Have those stats to hand, do your (more than fair) share of the work and be proud of your achievements.
Sanda Ionescu helps individuals adapt to new and challenging cultures, including women re-entering corporate life after a career break.
By Sanda Ionescu
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