Top 5 Mistakes Women Make in Business

As a woman entrepreneur, I've made my share of mistakes in business. And, as a business coach and author of Discovering Your Inner Samurai, a book about women's business success, I've thought a lot about the common mistakes that women make in business.

Here are my top five. What are yours?

1. Letting them see you sweat.

Too many times I've seen women, when they aren't feeling confident about themselves or their abilities, disclose their lack of confidence. They do this by peppering their clients and colleagues with lots of questions before they delve into a project, hedging when it comes to making a commitment, as well as breaking eye contact and fidgeting.

Showing lack of confidence, either by word or action, is a self-defeating behavior. Never let them see you sweat! Say yes. Then figure out how to deliver.

2. Displaying negative emotions.

Displaying anger, bitterness, or spite is never attractive. Turning into the victim or martyr when things don't go your way by whining, complaining, or blaming is counterproductive. Don't defend yourself, argue, or yell at your clients or colleagues. And, for heaven's sake, don't cry!

You can deal with every challenge in business without being negative. Instead, take action. Offer a solution.

3. Making excuses.

Women seem to think that, if they explain why they didn't return a call, answer an email, show up on time, or meet a deadline, everyone will understand and it will be okay. Not so.

Excuses say that what you were doing was more important than what someone else wanted you to do. An explanation means you are asking permission to be excused for what you did not do.

Instead, be impeccable with your word. Do as you say.

4. Being bitchy.

Take your cue from Cesar Millan, The Dog Whisperer: Stay calm and assertive. You do not have to be tough or come across aggressively in business. Instead, stay calm, be assertive, and develop a cooperative model when dealing with others.

5. Making decisions from a “lack mentality.”

Too many women have a mindset of scarcity when it comes to their businesses. They believe they lack time, money is scarce, and there aren’t enough customers. They don’t understand that near-term lack infects long-term prosperity. Therefore, make decisions for your business based on the far-term vision of expansion and growth.

Agree? Disagree? What's the biggest mistake that you see women entrepreneurs make?

Susan L. Reid
The original Accidental Pren-her™
Award-winning author of Discovering Your Inner Samurai: The Entrepreneurial Woman's Journey to Business Success

Comments

[Mary Schmidt]

Great list - especially #5! I'd add:

#6: Acting like the victim, in need of special treatment. "We women business owners can't..." Certainly, we all have challenges, but if we act like victims, guess how we'll be treated?

#7: Assuming/expecting other women to support you. Yes, we're all in this together, but I can only buy so much makeup and vitamins. And, I'm in business to make money, so there has to be some quid pro quo - not quid pro "gimme."

[Lady Samurai]

Excellent suggestions, Mary. You're absolutely right about the acting like a victim. That is such a turn off in the business world.

And #7 is a good one to keep in mind. Quid pro quo not quid pro gimme.