Women are different from men in many ways, including as leaders.  And while there are more women leaders today than ever before, they still fall way behind in the number compared to men. Many women still face a difficult climb to leadership and once there struggle to overcome perceptions by colleagues, clients and even themselves.

To be effective as leaders women must embrace their differences from men, and push aside self limiting beliefs and thinking that gets in the way of their success.  I’ve outlined ten strategies for women who are already leaders or want to be in the future.

1. Quit trying to act like a man.  I’m sure you have read that women need to act like men in order to be successful and that simply isn’t true.  Yes there are skills men have honed over the years that you can adopt, and dressing like or acting like a man isn’t going to help you.  In fact it likely will hurt your success.

2. Cut out your judgment of femininity.  Femininity isn’t about being soft or nurturing, not all women are.  It isn’t about how you dress or being subservient. It’s perfectly acceptable to get someone coffee or take their coat, that’s not a female thing it’s a manners thing.  You can be caring and considerate, not because you are female but because that’s who you are. When you attach actions, behavior, thinking or even how you dress to being feminine you put yourself in a box.

3. Ignore the idea you have to be part of the boys club.  It helps to have colleagues who you trust and can be there to support you, but it’s not about being in the boys club.  If being part of a group is important, start or find a girl’s club.

4. Speak up.  If you have something to say, say it.  Don’t wait to be asked your opinion or ideas.  When you disagree with something say so. Don’t be the wall flower waiting for someone to ask you to dance.

5. Use your EQ.  It is true that more women than men have higher emotional intelligence.  Use it to your advantage, and strategically.

6. Quit waiting for recognition or praise.  Women tend to think if they perform well others will notice and they will get praise, recognition, promotion or raise.  It might happen but what men do that women do less is toot their own horn. I’m not talking about waving your arms saying look at me, but I am suggesting you share your success with those that need to know.

7. Develop your own brand.  I believe all leaders need to develop a personal brand and women need to more than men.  What do you want to be known for? What makes you special? When a project or promotion or situation arises you want others to think of you to handle it.  That’s your brand.

8. Find a mentor, and an advocate.  Find someone in the company who can be your mentor and advocate.  It can be another woman, or a man…it doesn’t matter. What you want is someone who has the respect of others in the company who can guide you, help you with the land mines and advocate for you when appropriate.

9. Seek out other successful women leaders.  We can learn from others and they can help us short-cut our learning having been through it before.

10. Help other women who want to be leaders or are leaders already.  It’s curious to me that women aren’t helpful to other women, and at times go out of their way to not be helpful at all.  But you can’t be successful if you are working hard to undermine others.  

How can you apply these strategies?  Take the next step and take our leadership quiz.  The results will tell you your leadership style. From there we will offer you suggestions on how to use your particular style to be the most successful woman leader you can be.