Advice and habits from members of the Tatler community on how to own your power and be taken seriously as a young woman at the start of your career
When you’re in a new environment—whether that’s in a professional setting, within a new friend group or in a nascent relationship—it can sometimes feel intimidating to be assertive without being abrasive. This can be particularly difficult for women, when social expectations often find anything other than soft and nice coming from women to be aggressive and “emotional”, and the struggle is more often than not invisible to others.
When a man is comfortable delegating or taking charge, he shows leadership qualities. However, when a woman behaves the same way, she runs the risk of being labelled bossy or face resistance from those she leads.
We speak to prominent members of our Tatler community including Leigh Tung-Chou and Michelle Ong, who share pearls of wisdom and hard truths about what it takes to own your power as a woman, and advice on how to best execute that power.
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May Chow, chef founder of Little Bao and Happy Paradise
Young women should take the time to build a high-level of self confidence in and out of the workplace. I suggest:
Going to the gym, running a marathon, or doing something physically challenging. Setting [big] goals can allow for personal breakthroughs. I took acting classes to become a better speaker on TV—the teacher asked me to pretend to be on a travel show, and I had to walk down the streets of Central filming myself on my iPhone. It still gives me goosebumps [thinking about it]. It was so embarrassing, but it [took me out of my comfort zone]. Be open to fail and to learn.
I also encourage women to identify direct leadership or mentorship opportunities. Find places that have a proven track record of helping women succeed in the workplace. And try to find a mentor early in your career, whether it’s in or outside of work.
Take the time to read the Harvard Business Review articles on female empowerment to understand that you are not alone in the challenges you face. Once we understand that it’s not personal, then we can learn the strategies to be heard and to get things done.”
