Everyone seems to think they know about leadership, but what are the most important takeaways that you can use in everyday positions? In a recent study done in February of 2024 by Indeedthey found that only 43% of women have ever asked for a raise. Â
As a woman in leadership, it can be difficult to feel as though you can take up space in your workplace. But, not only should we be taking up space, we should find the best ways to utilize our time to advance our careers and be paid fairly for the work done. In the past two years or so, TikTok content has shifted from being largely comedy-based or music-related to including discussions of the corporate workplace. Many new trends and terms have been popularized, for example, “quiet quitting” or “working your wage.” Not all viewers seem to agree on whether or not these trends should be applied in the workplace. Recently, there has been a widely loved group of corporate leaders encouraging young women to seek out leadership roles and providing tips and tricks on how to get there.
One of the women leading this charge is entrepreneur and educator Cassandra Muscara, who, on TikTok, goes by @thrivewithcass. With each video, she tackles an issue that women in leadership may struggle with on a day-to-day basis. Some of her most-watched videos tackled ideas like people-pleasing, overexplaining, perception, burnout, and so much more. Â
Muscara has become known for giving advice on e-mail correspondence and using assertive language instead of over-explaining, which she deems “doubt speaking.” In one of her most popular videos, she discusses five things to say instead of “I’m sorry.” Muscara explains that many studies have shown that women in leadership tend to over-apologize and fall into people-pleasing patterns. She has also experienced this in her life. An example that she provides in her video is a scenario in which your boss has pointed out that you did not complete a task to his standards. She suggests that instead of just simply apologizing, you should say, “Thanks for the feedback! Let me make that change.” Muscara points out that these small changes can have a huge impact on your day-to-day interactions with coworkers.Â
While the use of language swapping is pivotal to how Muscara empowers women in leadership, She also discusses the importance of exuding confidence. The idea that exuding confidence places you in a better position to accept leadership roles as a woman is, however, not unique to Muscara. It is widely understood that exuding confidence places you in a better position to accept leadership roles regardless of gender.Â
With so many recommendations out there, it can be difficult to decipher what you need to know when looking for leadership roles. Many of these influencers agree that it is up to the individual person to define their strengths and weaknesses and target those by using common communication tactics discussed throughout their videos and research literature. I implore you not to be bogged down by so many conflicting opinions and suggestions and simply look within yourself to find areas of improvement. Changes in mindset can lead to further leadership opportunities.Â