Mentoring Organization Says Business Women Need To “Toot Their Own Horn”
New York, NY, 3/20/14 – For 20 years, WOMEN Unlimited, Inc. (www.women-unlimited.com) has been partnering with Fortune 1000 companies to help talented women develop the skills and mindset they need to become the next generation of top corporate executives. Dr. Rosina L. Racioppi, President and Chief Executive Officer of WOMEN Unlimited, Inc., offers this advice to women who aspire to usher their organizations to new levels of growth and profitability.
“Most women are passionate cheerleaders for the achievements of those they care about – kids, spouses, parents, siblings, friends, bosses, colleagues and subordinates – with one notable exception … themselves,” says Dr. Racioppi. “However, women often shy away from getting the word out about their corporate accomplishments. They harbor the misguided expectation that their work will speak for itself. They need to learn that this is not likely to happen.”
Catalyst research has found that men are paid on potential while women are paid on performance. This may be due, in part, to the reluctance of women to, “toot their own horn,” says Dr. Racioppi. “When a woman chooses to let her work speak for itself, she thwarts her own progress by limiting information critical for senior leadership to assess her talents and abilities. By ‘tooting her own horn,’ a woman can begin to shift the equation and give corporate leaders a sense of not just her performance, but her leadership potential as well.”
There are many effective ways to spread the word about significant accomplishments, according to Dr. Racioppi. “If a woman has closed a major deal, helped launch a new product or received an award from a professional organization, for example, there is nothing wrong with relying on word of mouth to spread the news,” she says. “However, she should also consider sending out a memo, forwarding a press release or having a trusted corporate friend or colleague get the word out.”
Compliments are often missed opportunities
“I often find that women tend to blow off compliments, rather than leverage them,” says Dr. Racioppi. “Handling a compliment in the right way, however, can win allies and forge key relationships.”
Dr. Racioppi cites an example of how such a situation might be handled. “Let’s say a Vice President congratulates a midlevel manager on an outstanding presentation,” she suggests. “First, the manager should thank the VP for the compliment and then ask, ‘What was the most impactful aspect of the presentation?’ She could then ask ‘If there is one thing I could change to make the presentation better, what would you suggest?’ By seeking out constructive feedback, the manager is cultivating a stronger relationship with the VP, and is also leaving the door open for future interactions.”
“For any number of reasons, women at all levels need to become skilled at both making their accomplishments visible and leveraging the power of a compliment,” says Dr. Racioppi. “Developing these strategies will accelerate the transition from women being paid for their performance to their being paid for their potential!”
For additional information, contact Dr. Rosina L. Racioppi at (212) 572-6211or e-mail her at rracioppi@women-unlimited.com.
About WOMEN Unlimited
Since 1994, WOMEN Unlimited, Inc. has been partnering with Fortune 1000 companies to develop and retain a diverse pool of talented women leaders who can confidently usher their organizations to new levels of growth and profitability. The organization uses a three-pronged approach of mentoring, education and networking to benefit organizations by enabling the transformation of talented, high-potential women from doers to leaders.
About Dr. Rosina Racioppi
As President and Chief Executive Officer of WOMEN Unlimited, Inc., Dr. Rosina Racioppi spearheads her organization’s initiatives to help Fortune 1000 companies cultivate the talent they need for ongoing growth and profitability. Under her leadership, Women Unlimited, Inc. partners with organizations across a wide range of industries to develop their high-potential women and to build a pipeline of diverse and talented leaders.
Prior to joining WOMEN Unlimited, Inc. Dr. Racioppi held executive management positions in human resources at Degussa Corporation, Nextran (a division of Baxter Corporation) and Beechwood Data Systems. She has over 25 years of experience in Organization Planning and Development, Compensation and Benefits, Training and Development, Safety, Quality Management, Staffing and Employee Relations.
Dr. Racioppi earned her doctorate in education from the University of Pennsylvania. She holds a Master’s of Science in Education from the University of Pennsylvania, a Bachelor’s Degree in Criminal Justice from Michigan State University and is certified in the Hay Job Evaluation Process and the Crosby Total Management System.
Additionally, Dr. Racioppi is an active member of the Society of Human Resources Managers, The American Society of Training and Development and The New Jersey Human Resources Planning Group. She also serves on the Advisory Council for the University of Pennsylvania CLO Alumni Network.