I came across this quotation as a result of some work I’ve been doing and it’s so true….
“Behind every successful woman is a tribe of other successful women who have her back.”

After working for 25+ years in corporate America, there is no more truer statement. Yes, I have male ex-colleagues I still keep in touch with, but I have so many more women I can turn to for help and support.

One of my greatest regrets is that for a long time, I viewed other women as competition. This, coupled with insecurity, is a bad combination….it craters relationships and it makes you sell yourself short. You tend to keep everyone at arms’ distance. It diminishes your contribution. And it’s all your own doing.

I learned later in life that this had to change. But I regret that I hurt other people for no good reason than my own insecurity. And I shortchanged myself in having relationships.

I think this continues to hamper women…whenever I hear a story about a female boss who keeps her direct down and out of the spotlight, or a direct report who tries to undermine her boss, or a colleague who sabotages another person…I think this toxic combination comes into play.

It’s not easy to stop it…it took me a long time. As I grew more self-confident at work, I started understanding that it was just wrong to view anyone else as competition…I was only competing against myself. And that the challenges at work was too big to solve on your own…you had to team up with other people. And as I started learning, I saw I could help others by sharing my experience and what worked for me.

I also learned to reach out for help. I thought I had to be perfect, know all the answers, and never need help. I realized that when I really needed the help, other women would be easier for me to approach and ask. Never have I had a woman let me down.

So, find your tribe. Or be part of someone else’s.