Women today also aspire to advance in their careers, and increasingly, key positions within companies are being filled by women. However, securing promotions in the workplace requires not only personal diligence and hard work, but also an objective self-assessment. It's not enough to simply work tirelessly; one must also strive to cultivate a positive work environment.
Miss Liu, 23, is diligent and conscientious. Yet she constantly feels marginalized by her colleagues, believing she doesn't fit in and that she's failing both personally and professionally. She blames herself for this.
Many young people share similar feelings—of being undervalued and unaccepted by their companies.In truth, even if you face unfair treatment at work, it doesn't necessarily mean you're being excluded. Responding to "unfair treatment" with a negative attitude will only backfire. Someone who doesn't fit in isn't necessarily useless.
Feeling constrained is natural.
To determine if you're being excluded at work, first carefully analyze what you expect from your company's management and rationally assess your own expectations.
First, no company or position can fully satisfy all your desires. Companies pay wages to hire employees, meaning the workplace can never be a personal paradise. They compensate you for your labor, providing livelihood security. Simultaneously, having daily work and opportunities to utilize your abilities ensures your mental stability.
You clock in each morning, work overtime into the evening, and return home with no time for TV or reading—your personal freedom is significantly constrained. This is a very real aspect of the workplace. Being constrained in our professional lives is perfectly natural.What should we do? We must learn how to communicate with our company. We need to be willing to compromise and cultivate a mindset of mutual concession. For instance, we should completely abandon the idea of doing personal hobbies during work hours or having unrestricted free time. Instead, we should schedule our daydreams and interests for evenings or days off, and fully utilize work hours for work—this is the key to a healthy relationship between the individual and the company.
Use your free time to enhance your professional skills and expertise. Once the company recognizes that "this person has real talent in this area, and not utilizing them fully would be a loss," you will solidify your position and gradually achieve your goals.
Work diligently to elevate your company's assessment of you through action. Avoid throwing tantrums or acting spoiled to vent frustrations at work. Passively entering the workplace only traps you in endless grumbling, complaints, and dissatisfaction. Engage with your company independently, maintaining a healthy distance—this is something each of us can achieve.
Further Reading: Women's Mediocrity Stems from "Fear of Success"
Men Pursue Success Without Hesitation
Everyone harbors desires for success; the drive to achieve something is termed "success motivation."This drive exhibits gender differences, with men demonstrating stronger motivation than women. Why this disparity? Psychologist Horner attributes it to "fear of success." Women, burdened by this apprehension, exhibit weaker success motivation.
Psychological traits closely linked to success—such as independence, initiative, and assertiveness—resemble masculine qualities and diverge significantly from traditional notions of femininity. Thus, men who fully leverage their intelligence and leadership abilities receive positive societal recognition. Ambitious men relentlessly pursue success without wavering.
The More Successful a Woman Is, the More Criticism She Faces
Women, however, do not fare similarly. Ms. Su, who was promoted to Vice President this summer, possesses truly outstanding intelligence, leadership skills, and poise. Yet, negative assessments of her seem to have reached a peak: "Doesn't she act like a woman at all?" "Can she still manage her household?" "Will she still care for her children?"...These questions and judgments severely undermine Ms. Su's drive. Though she possesses a strong desire for success, she anticipates that further advancement might bring praise, fulfillment, and higher status—but also the loss of the traditional female life. Fearful of this "loss," she finds herself halting her ascent.
This fear of success restrains the majority of women from advancing, lowering their self-imposed standards and aspirations.
Men Need to Take on More "Domestic Responsibilities"
Yet in today's world where traditional notions are gradually dissolving, some career women harbor no fear of success and possess a strong desire to achieve.They embrace the concept of jointly managing marriage and family with their husbands, maintaining personal and financial independence within the union. Though they too encounter numerous challenges and issues, they refuse to let domestic matters hinder their career advancement. This isn't avoidance; rather, they excel at balancing life and career.
The traditional "men work outside, women manage inside" family dynamic is increasingly being discarded by modern society. Now, many men are sharing the responsibilities of family life. Mastering both life and career is not inherently tied to gender. The fundamental factor hindering career women's success is their own psychological self-suppression.