In 2022, women represent nearly 50 percent of the global labor force. In the United States, they make up more than half of all college graduates and are surpassing their male counterparts in completing doctoral degrees. Yet, women only represent 18 percent of executive-level positions in businesses. At some point, many ambitious women see their careers stall.
Women with ambition in the workplace tend to find themselves at a crossroads between managing their tenacity, self-doubt, and others’ perceptions. The balance lies at the intersection of impactful communication, goal setting, and continuous learning. The latter factor is why talent development leaders should take heed. If inclusive leadership development is an organizational priority—and it should be—enabling women to be leaders and to participate in formal and informal development activities must be a measured goal.
What is ambition, and why is it an important leadership trait?
Ambition is the driving force that leads people and societies to new heights. It compels people to want better for themselves and to do better for those who rely on them for their ideas, time, energy, and productivity. Without ambition or a drive to improve, innovate, or otherwise alter the status quo, things would never change in the world.However, like most things, ambition requires balance. Too little ambition can come across as aloofness in a co-worker or leader. Too much ambition can quickly become unappealing when it lacks clarity and vision. Ambition is especially delicate when it comes to women at work.
Are there common themes among ambitious women?
Though workplace cultures and situations may differ, many women undergo surprisingly similar experiences throughout their leadership journeys. According to Mary McGuinness, director of coaching guidance for Sounding Board (a tech-enabled leadership coaching organization), many of the women she coaches “have ambition, but they’re not necessarily clear on a path for themselves on how to rise in their organizations.” This obscurity can manifest in several ways that impacts how women perform in leadership development activities as well as how they’re structured:- Limiting beliefs: A recent KPMG study showed that a whopping 75 percent of female executives report having experienced imposter syndrome and feelings of self-doubt in their career. This goes beyond low or temporary dips in self-esteem. Women may doubt themselves and fear they aren’t qualified enough to reach higher, despite their goals.
- Lack of clarity around measures for success: In a world that has seen more male leaders throughout history, identifying which success measures to strive for is an added complexity for women. This complexity also impacts how leadership development for women plays out from creation and execution to refinement and return on investment (ROI) assessment.
- Neglecting to set explicit, achievable goals: In her work, McGuinness said she often encounters women who have ambitious visions, but they neglect to set explicit goals. It’s difficult to obtain buy-in when others don’t know what is being asked of them.
- Narrow thinking: Women who hyperfocus on advancement above all else may not prioritize developing relationships with key stakeholders who could help them identify attainable goals, provide resources to achieve their ambitions, and facilitate informal and formal learning and development.
How should women manage their ambition?
What is the best way for women to operationalize their ambition in the workplace and advance to bigger and better roles? McGuinness relies on a few leadership development tools to coach women in using their ambition more productively:- Goal setting to build key capabilities: Being able to set realistic, achievable goals and stick to them is a vital trait in successful, ambitious leaders.
- Challenging limiting beliefs: The way people speak to themselves matters. Challenging limiting beliefs is about reframing doubts into what is possible within the confines of a particular organization and culture.
- Identifying opportunities: Seeing opportunities in challenges or solutions where others see problems is a skill that the best leaders possess. With leadership coaching to enable a shift in mindset, it’s a skill that can help women actualize their ambitions.
- Facilitating communication: Coaching creates spaces for potential leaders and their managers to come together, bridge communication gaps, and identify and analyze solutions together using a shared language to achieve their mutual goals.
It’s an unfortunate reality that women must continue to play catch-up in the business world. But there is power in being able to set your own goals and go after your ambitions. With ongoing leadership development and learning, women can develop a keen sense of situational awareness and the communication skills needed to excel beyond limiting beliefs—internal and external—and continually create their own opportunities for success.
