What permissions would you like to give yourself in order to access your full potential?

This is a question we ask at the end of almost all the work we do with groups of women and I’m always touched by the power of the answers that come up. So here are some of the permissions we have heard.

The first – “It’s ok to take credit for the work I do”. Case in point, a story my wise colleague Aparna shared – in her last organisation, the international director of learning was visiting and loved the learning initiative Aparna had designed. He asked her whose idea it was and she said (predictably) that it was a team effort. He looked at her closely and said “No! YOU came up with the idea”. And while that was true, she described how deeply uncomfortable she felt about acknowledging it out loud.

Sounds familiar? Sally Helgesen and Marshall Goldsmith in their book "How Women Rise" talk about how one of the greatest strength of women is their ability to deliver high-quality work. But equally, one of the things they cringe at is bringing attention and visibility to their successes.

https://www.navgati.in/
Why do you think this happens? What has your experience been? Of allowing yourself to take credit or of encouraging the women in your team to do so?
(illustration credit the lovely Madhumita)