Empowering Women To Rise Against Workplace Bullying!

Did you know that Australia has the highest rate of workplace bullying in the world?

If you’re a female leader, then listen up! It’s time for all women in leadership to rise and empower other women to develop greater self-confidence and self-esteem!

Because what makes a good leader today are leaders who are willing to create a great company culture or business environment for all workers!

Yet, studies from the Safe Work Australia indicate that “women are more likely than men to be bullied and experience unwanted sexual advances, unfair treatment because of our gender, and experience being physically assaulted or threatened by a client.”

No surprises here, because most women leaders are already well practised in conditioning themselves to overcome gender bias, lack of trust and power struggles to be more empowered female leaders.

But that’s only the beginning. Workplace culture also dictates the way we behave, communicate, make decisions, and the way we show up in the world.

In other words, working in negative workplace cultures affects your professional image, leadership style, energy, mindset and presence.

And these are all top leadership traits for all professionals wanting to build a powerful personal brand and professional image.  And they matter!

What Is Wrong With Working In Toxic Work Cultures? 

Even as a top female executive, or professional women, at some stage in your career, you will most likely have endured workplace bullying; whether it is only for a day, a week or several years. 

And after long term exposure working in toxic workplaces, particularly as women, our confidence can breakdown, and we begin to feel worthless. 

It’s this systemic lack of self-belief and self-confidence as a woman that is the biggest career crusher of all time! So, if you feel this way, you must learn to develop your personal brand and leadership skills to regain your power and remind yourself (and others!) of your worth in the world!

I know first hand what it feels like to suffer from daily mind games and belittlement from a superior in a toxic company culture.  

It sucks!

Because being subjected to large doses of daily ridicule, a fixed mindset and constant negativity leads to extreme anxiety, irritability, stress, depression, and lack of sleep. 

But if you’re stuck in a toxic workplace culture, and feeling disempowered, how do you break this cycle of disruption and uncertainty to regain your self-worth and step into your confidence as a more empowered woman in business? 

What’s The Secret To Boosting Your Self Confidence?

The first step is to remember three simple yet powerful words.  “You are enough!” You have everything you need right inside of you. Do not let other people take your power away and make you feel ‘less than’.

Because, your greatest asset in both life and business is your ability to do one thing better than anyone else; to be undeniably YOU.  That’s why building your personal brand will help you. The process involves you gaining greater clarity around your goals and dreams and deeply connecting to your values, beliefs, and passions and purpose.

And when you are living in alignment with your values and beliefs, something magical happens. You permit yourself to be the best you can be. It is one of the best confidence hacks I know!

So, if you’re struggling to better be seen, be heard and be noticed, decide to empower yourself with the best project you’ll ever work on…Brand YOU!  Because, when your personal brand is on point, you will have a powerful professional image and leadership presence that will make people sit up and pay attention.

You will grow your authority, recognition and impact and attract more incredible opportunities to you rather than having to chase them.

And the best part, you will feel more empowered and unstoppable than ever before!  So, when your energy is compromised, don’t cave to the pressure or rise to the challenge! 

Essentially, it’s up to you, and you will be amazed at the difference you can make not only to your attitude but also how influential you can become in helping others cope and modify their behaviour too.

Surviving Workplace Bullying: 3  Steps To Success

As a top female personal brand and business coach, I have worked with hundreds of women in leadership, female entrepreneurs and top female executives helping them to grow their professional image and confidence to the next level.  

And I have found that by practising a few proven mindset success rituals and developing smart leadership strategies, you can remain positive and regain your power even under the most challenging circumstances.

I have used these same success rituals to transform my own life and career to go from feeling invisible to invincible.

Here are three simple ways to not only survive in a toxic workplace, but also to empower yourself so that your actions will start to influence those people around you to improve the culture and environment. 

You will feel energised at the end of the day and less stressed and anxious. You will forge better relationships, be healthier, more optimistic, motivated, and be a calmer, happier person.

 And best of all you will be a more empowered and unstoppable leader in your niche market or industry!

1. Leadership Is An Attitude So Don’t Get Caught Up With Negative Talk

Creating a success mindset is your first place to start to own your power! To do this takes the discipline to adopt regular positive daily practices. 

That means, you must get fiercely protective of who you hang out with and the conversations you have. Do not get sucked into the vortex of other people’s misery, misconceptions and negative energy or vibes.

Distance yourself from the anger, resentment and negativity at work and make the conscious decision to be positive. You can’t change your personality or those of the people around you, but you can modify your behaviour and change your mindset. 

Communicating more positively and persuasively to your work colleagues (and everyone in your life!) will help reprogram your behaviour and develop a mindset for more remarkable growth and success.

And the best part is, your positive energy and attitude will significantly influence others and help you develop a strong leadership presence that will positively impact the people around you. 

And remember, don’t engage with colleagues (or anyone!) that expend a great deal of negative energy pulling people down, criticising or coercing you to ensure the failure of others. 

Because your ability to learn strategies to deal with these toxic attitudes both in thoughts and actions will enable you to make better decisions, elevate your performance and regain your confidence and self-esteem.

3. Become An Influencer And Encourage Others To Change Too 

Now it’s time to expand on your new-found positive thinking to spread this energy within your workplace. 

As women in leadership, it is our responsibility to inspire and motivate others to inspire and motivate others too!

I remember when I once worked in a highly toxic corporate work environment, I put up a poster at the door of my office that read “No Negativity Allowed Beyond This Point!”  

It got a few eye rolls and flippant laughs around the office at first, but soon people started to reflect on their behaviour and attitudes and how it affected others in the business.  It wasn’t long before my colleagues and superiors began to respect and honour the more profound message I was sending. :)

Now I am not saying you need to run about the office madly putting up positivity posters! But sometimes there are simple answers to complex problems.

So instead of letting the problem escalate, take some initiative to think of positive ways to send your message to others. Inspire them to do the right thing. I have always found that negative people are still the problem makers not problem solvers.

So start by finding ways to share your values and beliefs confidently that will benefit others and foster more positive relationships within your workplace. 

Being positive makes you a more attractive and confident person, and you will find your work colleagues will be drawn into your energy and start to respond to you in a different, more engaging way. 

A positive attitude is the crucial element required to transform perceptions, so in turn, over time, you will also become more persuasive in the workplace. 

Because, “What you say to yourself, you do. What you say to yourself you become. You have the power to shape the world around you by the words you say and the words you think”.  (Rosemary Pekar)