Recently I asked for your suggestions on women-specific topics to write about. The feedback was overwhelming — in a good way. I truly appreciate all the suggestions and I always love hearing from my followers.
Several of you suggested that I write about the importance of women supporting other women in the workplace. Unfortunately, it seems that too many of us have experienced hostility from other women at work.
Although I have experienced this myself, it makes me sad to hear about it from so many of my readers.
When I was going through a painful situation which was made worse by a women I considered a friend and colleague, I couldn’t help but think of Madeline Albright’s famous quote:
There’s a special place in hell for women who don’t help other women.
Ultimately, the situation was resolved, and we’re respectful to one another — but sadly, we’re no longer friends.
10 Ways You Can Support Your Fellow Women Fundraisers
Fundraising is hard enough to do under the best of circumstances. As women working in the nonprofit sector, why do we have to battle one another and make it that much harder for each other?
We can (and should) raise each other up much more so than we do. In that spirit, here are 10 ways you can support your women colleagues.
1. Be a champion.
This goes beyond being a mentor. A champion is someone who proactively looks out for others and promotes (literally and figuratively) them at every opportunity.
2. Be generous with advice and information.
We live in the information age. Give and you shall receive.
3. Be honest.
There’s never a good reason to be shady or downright lie. Honesty will set you free.
4. Put a stop to gossip.
You can stop gossip by refusing to spread it. When you hear someone talking about others, walk away — or better yet, speak up.
5. Ask for forgiveness.
When you do something wrong, ask forgiveness. It’s okay to say, “I’m sorry.”
6. Act like there’s enough for everyone.
Don’t operate with a scarcity mindset. When you give to others, you will ultimately receive more in return. What goes around, comes around.
7. Speak up and stand up.
If you see something that’s not right, don’t look the other way. Speak up publicly or privately.
8. Fight for equal pay.
When you are in control of salaries, do the right thing. When you’re hiring, post salaries in the job description.
9. Be a friend.
Everyone needs someone to listen and a shoulder to cry on from time to time. Be the friend you wish you had.
10. Treat others as you wish to be treated.
Need I say more?
Women Supporting Women Works
Is this list a little cheesy and cliché?
Yes!
These things may be obvious, but they all ring true. Every one of them will help you create a more supportive and lower-stress environment at your nonprofit workplace. And who doesn’t want that?
So as women who care so deeply about making the world a better place, let’s start standing up for one another in proactive and meaningful ways. Actively look for ways to support other women — young and old, black and white, gay and straight (and everything in between).
What’s Missing from this List?
These 10 things are just the beginning. What else can we do to support one another? Give it a little thought and add one suggestion in the comments below.
Then bookmark this post and come back to it whenever you need to renew your sense of female solidarity.
Nominate other women for awards. Write glowing letters of recommendation. Do your best to hold other women up as role models.