Our Biggest Challenge Is Ourselves

Seeing women succeed in management positions is uplifting. But it is fair to say that the challenges women face in the workplace are still very much as present as 40 years ago. There are certainly some professions that view women and men as equals at all levels, but some professions present more of an obstacle to women. Women are still underrepresented in the senior management level of most professions, particularly those related to finance.

One of the biggest challenges that women still face in the workplace, regardless of their industry, is themselves. We still think we have to be a superwoman and we still attempt to be all things to all people.

An important key to our success is to realize it is not possible to do everything and do it well. We need to plan, prioritize and set realistic expectations as to what we can do. We also need to realize that as more women succeed and gain standing in business, there will be more pressure on women to do it all.

In the global financial and legal industries there is an expectation of long hours and extensive commitment. There is a struggle for power and an expectation to win, all the time. But that doesn’t mean we need to sacrifice the work-life balance but we do need to make a strong effort to keep that balance.