This article is written by Betilde Muñoz-Pogossian, Director of Social Inclusion at the Organisation of American States (OAS) and Coordinator of the Red de Politólogas #NoSinMujeres (Female Political Scientists Network #NotWithoutWomen). This article is one of the finalists in Apolitical’s 2020 women in government writing competition.

As they move upwards, women must navigate a tricky work-life balance expectations outside work.

“Why is she so ambitious?,” “Who is taking care of her family?,” “How can she be so productive, is she not married?” are just some of the questions people tend to ask.

This is reflected in their stories, but also in the numbers. Women account for only around 30% of public servants in many countries and are generally underrepresented in the positions of greatest influence. Women who manage to get to these positions face a new set of challenges when they arrive. I know because I’ve been there. And while I’ve been successful and will continue working to be the best in my profession, I wish someone had told me these seven things so that my road could have been less rocky.

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1. Work on your impostor syndrome. Yes, we all struggle with the idea that we are not good enough for the job we have or the meeting/conference presentation we’ve been invited to. Know you are not alone in thinking that, but start working on eliminating this self-perception. Start giving yourself credit for your achievements. Learn to accept compliments about your work. Start working on really being assertive about what you offer your institution, organisation and the people you work for.

2. Map key actors. As soon as you assume a leadership position (and ideally before this happens), start making a map of key actors. Identify their backgrounds, interests and incentives. Make sure to understand any existing disagreements or tensions. It is crucial you start identifying who could be your allies and who could be your detractors as you lead them to deliver the results that are expected of you and your team. The Role Mapping technique may be a useful one.

3. Learn to use symbolism. Exerting influence and power rests a lot on symbolic acts, or behaviours that help the team understand you as their leader. You must learn to use these symbols from the beginning. Some examples of these include, for instance, calling meetings first, and calling them into your office (instead of going to other colleagues’ offices) and having difficult conversations with those who have rudely challenged your leadership in your office, with your desk between you and them. A more positive reinforcement meanwhile could be sending a handwritten thank you note to an employee who was successful in delivering her work.

4. Arrive early. Get to the office before everyone else, so you can catch up on your work and, going back to the symbolic theme, show your staff, colleagues and supervisors that you are on top of things. Quieter time in the office gives you the chance to connect with the team and review details about projects or policies you are leading that you wouldn’t be able to review otherwise. It is also strategic to show up early to meetings and other public events. This gives you the chance to “work the room”, namely meeting and greeting staff and colleagues (after all, it is all about people and the people you know!), as well as addressing any pending issues to do with projects and activities that require others’ involvement in an informal setting.

5. Learn to use social media. Professional visibility can be achieved using social media. Granted, some government institutions, and inter-governmental organisations have certain rules about social media use, but a lot of influential people in these realms use it (Twitter mostly, but also LinkedIn and Instagram) to communicate their work. Don’t be afraid to use these tools. Social media presents many challenges, but for women in positions of influence, I see it as an equaliser in terms of projecting your personal image and professional results. Disclaimer: You do have to know how to calibrate social media use, because as women, we face a different set of standards when we expose our work and ourselves. In this regard, too much exposure, or at least comparative to men in equivalent positions, often means we will have to confront resistance, criticism and questions about our ambition and goals.

6. Learn the domination techniques and call them out. Yes, women are subject to domination techniques. These were defined by Norwegian sociologist Berit As (1981) as “conscious and unconscious strategies used to assume power over others”, and are based on the assumption that women and men are valued differently and that men, as a group, generally have a higher status. As mapped out 7 of these including: making invisible, ridiculing, withholding information, double-binding, heaping blame and putting to shame, objectifying, and its most violent expression: use of force, or threats of force. Learn more about them so you can identify them when they are happening to you, and build the courage to call them out. Finding allies prepared to do this with you is also a good strategy.

7. Network the smart way. And if you can, seek a sponsor. Networking has to continue to be part of your day to day even if you have achieved a position of influence. You must always be thinking how best to deliver on the results that are expected of you, and it is networks, connections and ultimately people, that help you do that. It may also be useful for the next professional move. If you are able to connect with someone who may be willing to vouch for you, to push your name when names are being sought, even better. Although these relationships can sometimes be transactional, in my experience, the relationships that last and the ones that go the longest way are those focused on the person: in other words, when you approach them because you genuinely care, and seek to learn from them.

* These opinions are personal. They do not represent those of the OAS.

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