How to help young women professionals develop and climb the corporate ladder

The professional world can be a very daunting place for any aspiring young woman who wishes to climb the ladder of success. This is partially because she is inexperienced compared to her co-workers, the majority of whom will have many more years of expertise on her, but mostly because of the unknown challenges that she will face.

However, any female who desires to be the best in her field needs to fully embrace each challenge that is presented to her with determination, integrity, patience, and gratitude. It is essential for her to perceive these challenges as opportunities to prove her professional worth by establishing her credibility with her co-workers and supervisors.

Opportunities do not produce themselves. Therefore, it is crucial for managers and supervisors to create them for their young colleagues so that they can have a chance to prove themselves as assets to the company. Bosses, note that these young women will sink or soar when presented with these challenges. They will either procrastinate and devote minimal e¡ort to the task at hand, or they will be innovative, heed the challenge with confidence, and thrive. Only then will the upper management get a sense of whether they are capable of being successful professionals in the long term.

Managers and supervisors should create opportunities for their employees once a basis of trust is established. Trust is not a right: young professionals need to properly earn it by respecting their bosses, performing all that is asked of them, providing helpful solutions to problems, and — most importantly — attempting to approach each situation with a positive attitude.

Conversely, employers should be approachable, direct, patient, and supportive with their employees. If higher-ups are unapproachable, they create a stressful work environment for their employees. No one wants to feel like they are walking on eggshells all the time. Bosses need to be kind yet direct when communicating with employees. Upfront and honest advice is the best form of communication. Young professionals do not grow from sugarcoated conversations.

Finally, bosses must be mindful that their employees are going to make mistakes. Failure is part of the learning process and a necessary component for success; therefore, they must be patient and supportive with their young staff. They should not fearfully micromanage them in order to mitigate mistakes. Micromanaging inhibits the lower management’s ability to demonstrate worth. How can young workers be expected to grow if the chance is constantly withheld from them?

If the upper management embodies the qualities that were previously mentioned that are unique to their role, and if the employees accept each challenge that is presented to them with determination, integrity, patience, and gratitude, they will produce a good working environment and eventually a trustworthy relationship that will render the further challenges needed to create successful professionals. Once this trust is firmly established, the boss will advocate for their employees, thereby contributing to their professional success.

Women, this means you have merited their respect, and your worth has been acknowledged as an asset to the company.

Executives have an important opportunity to lead by example because of the noteworthy steps they have taken to establish credibility in the workplace. eir authoritative role is amplified in the business environment and witnessed by their young professionals. Hence, it is crucial that they recognize the significance they hold in forming their employees and note their responsibility in creating and developing successful young women professionals in the workplace.

Sarah Lemieux is director of publicity for Sophia Institute Press. She is also  an alumna from Ave Maria University with a degree in marketing. Most importantly, she is passionate about her career and wants to share her experience with her fellow working women through a Catholic Lens.