E84: What to Do When You’re Underestimated as a Woman in Leadership

“He said, ‘Well, Janet. I'll say what I really thought of you when I first saw you. The first thing I thought is, “Oh, here's blonde bimbo. And what is she going to say?”’ [...] Then he goes, ‘You talked and I thought, Wow, Barbie has a brain.’”In this episode, I talk about something women leaders are unfortunately no strangers to: being underestimated or stereotyped because of their appearance or simply because they are women. If you’ve ever had the experience of being pigeon-holed or underestimated because of judgments people make based on unconscious biases they may have, you’ll want to listen to this episode.I share two stories of my own and offer some tips  to navigate this type of situation when it arises.In this episode:When an executive assumed I was a junior employee and not the session leader How I handled it and what I learned from that situationWhen a male colleague admitted that he had initially assumed that I must be a “blonde bimbo”How to maintain your power and presence when you cannot control the judgements of othersHow to counter being underestimatedPower Presence Academy | Leadership with Less Ego And More Soul is the go-to podcast for anyone who leads. Your host is Janet Ioli, leadership and human development expert, sought-after coach and advisor to global executives, and former executive with experience in four Fortune 100 companies. She helps leaders ground themselves with confidence, connection, and purpose to lead with Less Ego and More Soul.Connect with Janet Ioli:Website: janetioli.comLinkedin: Janet IoliInstagram: @leadershipcoachjanetIf you want to become more grounded, confident, and aligned with your deeper values in just 21 days, check out Janet Ioli’s book Less Ego, More Soul: A Modern Reinvention Guide for Women.If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a review on Apple Podcasts.  Select “Listen in Apple Podcasts,” then choose the “Ratings & Reviews” tab to share what you think.  Produced by Ideablossoms