How to act like a #girlboss instead of a cray bish!

You’re no stranger to the humble vision board, you’ve read the latest research on the power of positive thinking, and you even recite affirmations of a morning while primping yourself for the day ahead. With this in mind, you should be levitating on a cloud of positive vibes by the time 9:00 am rolls around, right?

Yet somehow by the time midday arrives, you’ve had a passive aggressive moment with your co-worker (who’s convinced they’re always right), been (seemingly) overlooked for the great work you did on your last project, and to top it all off, your brand new stilettos are transforming your toes into some sort of foot-claw. (Who invented the pointy toe anyway?)

I don’t know about you, but I may associate with perhaps one or two of the aforementioned points. Although I like to think of myself as a bubbly bundle of delightful energy in the workplace, if I’m honest with myself, there are times that my thought-life and dare I say ‘tude’ get a tad cray.

In my quest to harness my potential and catapult my career to startling heights of success (instead of cray cray conundrums), I sat down with two #girlboss certified babes, kicking some serious professional butt.

Put the boxing gloves down (seriously)

Before you start channelling Mohammad Ali, here are some practical tips from Psychologist Elizabeth Neil, to help transform your defensiveness into positive professional practice.

Is it me?

“Before you act, understand what’s really going on for you, or why you feel triggered and identify your insecurities. Is the issue at hand a sore point that has aggravated feelings of inadequacy? If so, we may be hypersensitive to feeling criticized around particular issues.”

Oops…I did it again

“Defensiveness is the close-mindedness that can lock us into a less than desirable corner in the workplace. When we perceive an attack – real or imagined – we feel entitled to defend ourselves. If you misinterpret a situation and react out of impulse, simply call it for what it is and recognise what you could have done differently.”

Wo-man up

“Remember that all communication is two-way. There are opportunities at every point for each person to take responsibility for their own actions, and to gently assist the other in theirs.”

Beach please!

Feel like you’re sinking beneath an unrelenting workload? Performance pressure can see even the most seasoned swimmer beached, and out of action in the workplace. Before you find yourself curled up in the fetal position under your desk (dramatic much?), try these tips from Tracey Gabriel, Group Account Manager at Advertising Advantage, for smooth sailing under pressure.

Don’t wait for a Baywatch rescue

“Drowning in a heavy workload won’t help you or the business, so it’s always best to communicate.

1. Connect with your team and managers to discuss business priorities.

2. Provide a recommendation and give them the opportunity to be involved with priority setting.

3. Stay focused on tasks and let people know when you need additional support.”

#LMAO

“My tried and tested way to manage stress is to chat with a friend/colleague who is in the same situation. I am reminded I am not alone and we generally end up comparing stories and having a good laugh – medicine for the soul.”

Be your own cheerleader

“Acknowledge your wins! Choosing to focus on your achievements increases work satisfaction, and gives you something to look forward to after a long and sometimes challenging week!”

Who’s the boss? (It ain’t Tony Danzer!)

Now that we’ve retired our boxing gloves (Bootcamp exempted), and sailed safely to the shore of the emotionally stable, it’s time to put that hash tag to good use and be the certified #girlboss babes we’re all destined to be.

Now don’t get me wrong, there’s a time and a place for our own unique brand of cray… like say our besties birthday, mid juice cleanse, solo karaoke (don’t judge it till you try it) – or let’s face it, any family function! It just may serve one well to channel their cray where it’s appreciated most… and uh, won’t get you fired!