5 Lessons I've Learned From Being "The Only Guy In The Room" While Working With Women
- Brainz Magazine
- Oct 31, 2022
- 4 min read
Updated: Mar 16
Written by: Casimiro da Silva Santos, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
I'm here to witness how the World is evolving. We now have a record number of female leaders. In 2011, twelve women (2.4%) held the position of Fortune 500 CEO, according to Quantic. Since then, while slowly, this number has increased by 5%, reaching 41 as of 2021. A few instances of Fortune 500 business female CEOs are Karen Lynch, Mary Barra, Carol Tomé, and Jane Fraser.
I can only be grateful to have had the opportunity to work with women throughout my career who were of diverse races, ages, sexual orientations, and origins. In the companies where we both worked, several of them even held positions of authority over me. It was a luxury for me to occasionally be "the only guy in the room." What a bizarre experience it was to be the only "man in the room." Being the only man on a team is a huge learning experience and a big step up in leadership.
These women taught me a lot about how to improve both myself as a person and as a worker, which helped me learn a lot. By imparting these lessons to you, your World may become more open and welcoming to all:
A Privilege Is Working With Women.
It was, is, and will always be an honor to work alongside women.
They are the foundation of the globe, as well as the present, the future, and a piece of history. In light of the recent hardships faced by women, I feel it imperative to constantly remind myself that there is strength in numbers.
Oh Sure, Women Are Strong.
Oh absolutely, women are strong individuals and always will be.
Women are strong individuals.
Women are more powerful than males in several ways.
Women have influence in ways that may not be immediately apparent to you.
Because it's so delicate and nuanced, women's power is sometimes overlooked. You'll notice them when you take the time to notice.
Women Are Creative Thinkers.
I discovered through working with women that they had a ton of excellent ideas.
It's not that males lack fantastic ideas—we definitely do! Women are more likely than males to innovate and be creative in their thinking. And it might be an issue if your line of work involves stopping creative individuals from coming up with ground-breaking thought leadership.
I've seen that women are more inquisitive than males, and this gives me the impression that there are so many business chances available right now that we must make sure we take advantage of them by being more open-minded and having more women in positions of leadership.
Women Need To Understand That They Have The Power To Influence Their Surroundings Or The Globe.
I clearly do not identify as a woman and have no intention of doing so. I am content with my gender.
One thing I discovered is that women need to understand they have the power to influence their surroundings or the globe. Women must have self-confidence and belonging to something greater than themselves. Women need to believe that they can change the World and that other people respect what they have to offer.
Women need to hear that they are making progress and yet have work to do. You may encourage and motivate others to set and achieve lofty objectives by doing this. It can have to do with their career or what they hope to become. In any case, you must be aware that you have the power to influence at least their environment if not the entire globe. Women are essential in a different manner than we (men) are because they frequently feel that all of their efforts are ignored by us, the men. As a result, they need support and encouragement just as much as we do.
I must stress how crucial it is for women to understand how much they have influenced me. I think we really look up to one another; we support one another and, while doing so, have a good time together. What fun could it possibly be?
In A Different Way Than Men, Women Are Tough And Robust.
I discovered that when tested, women outperform males (sorry, gents).
They are more powerful than they realize. Some might say that they are more resilient because of all the things they have gone through, which makes them stronger.
Being female in a patriarchal environment has many advantages. a culture in which it seems impossible for you to catch up to the males around you or in which your achievements are frequently questioned, as if they somehow don't matter much because of your gender identification.
Women learn early on how to persevere through hardship and push their boundaries farther than most people could ever fathom going under comparable conditions when they are told they aren't good enough, bright enough, or talented enough.
I'll leave you with this: working with women was, is, and always will be an honour and privilege.
I'm honoured to be a member of this group of guys who empower women and work to make the World more inclusive, equal, and varied. There is still a ton of work to do. We are powerful and tenacious now and in the future.
As we build a better future for our children, their children, and ourselves, I look forward to working alongside women.
Casimiro da Silva Santos, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine
Casimiro da Silva Santos, better known as Cas, uses pronouns he/his. He is a dad, a business and climate action leader, a coach, and a speaker. His mission is to create a perspective of abundance, alleviating scarcity so that we can live a brighter future. After a transformational coaching experience with Simon Sinek Inc., Cas decided to create Bring the Best®, a coaching and consulting firm for personal development and business growth. Through individual, career, and executive coaching, Bring the Best transforms lives so that each person can live the life they want and dream about. His coaching style is authentic and empathetic, with a special focus on the LGBTQIA+ community.
