3 things women should stop apologizing for
A number of women have an ‘apology mindset’ in the workplace, says the author. Here are telltale signs of that attitude, as well as ways to beat it.
Nora Ephron’s name was all over the news after her untimely death in June.
The writer and filmmaker left us so many great movies, books, and quotes, but perhaps most of all she left professional women the legacy of a smart woman who was unapologetically fearless and funny.
One key lesson we can learn from Nora Ephron is to stop apologizing for who we are.
Apologies don’t need to employ words such as “I’m sorry” or “please forgive me.”
The apologizing mindset can be far more subtle, but also far more insidious.
Here are three things we should stop apologizing for:
1. Being smart.
One thing that underlies most of the apologies I have heard from women’s lips— including my own—is some variation on “forgive me for sounding too intelligent.”
Women tend to minimize their own contributions, which is at odds with the image of a confident professional woman that they want to portray. They end up being taken less seriously.
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