Have you ever been offered a chance of promotion, but found yourself hesitating whether to take it?
Taking on a big role is a major career milestone, but it can seem like a big leap, especially if you are a female leader. Women are still very much in the minority in senior roles. For example, recent research by Korn Ferry found that women now hold 25% of the five critical C-suite positions, an increase from 23% in 2018.
There are many reasons for this big disparity, but one that we cannot get away from is that most working women have to double-job their career and their caring responsibilities at home. This makes the risk/reward calculation very different from that of men.
What I find is that women either over-think what’s involved (& talk themselves out of going for that next big role) or they don’t give it enough attention and then struggle to keep up with workload of their elevated position.
What would you say is holding you back?
For example do you need your work/life balance to remain as it is now?
The reality is that for each new role we take on, we have to lean in to it, learn the ropes and do the work. That obviously comes with some changes in working hours and duties. The important thing is to put in some boundaries and work out what would be acceptable before you even open up the conversation with your organisation.
Are you in a place where you could make some of the sacrifices, whilst still juggling your other responsibilites? Be honest with yourself, but also don’t assume its a hopeless case either.
Flexible and hybrid working is becoming the norm. Light-duty Friday’s are common and business travel is now fairly minimal now that we have much greater use virtual meeting platforms. So don’t be afraid to negotiate some realistic boundaries whilst you are being considered for a new role.
There is no one-size-fits-all answer to the question of whether or not you’re ready to make the sacrifices needed to take on a bigger role. It depends on your individual priorities and goals.
If you’re not sure whether or not you’re ready, talk to people who are in senior roles. Ask them about their experiences and what sacrifices they had to make.
If that’s not an option, book a free call with me and I’ll help you make an informed decision about whether or not a role is right for you.
Book a free career guidance call here