How You Show Up Impacts Your Interactions

“You’re the auditors?” a surprised CFO said of my all-women team as we walked into the Fortune 500 manufacturing company. “Yes, we are!” I responded. “And, if you mess with us, we’ll cook your books and it won’t be in your favor! We’d also like a nice office with windows.” “Anything else you ladies would like?” I asked. “Lots of coffee and donuts at 9 a.m., please.” Another added, “And, after a long day of traveling, a foot massage would be awesome!” “Yes,” the team chimed in, “definitely a foot massage!” Following a few more lighthearted exchanges, the energy was fun and we were ready to get to work.

I started out in public accounting in the early ’90s when it was a male-dominated profession. I learned early on that I needed to be aligned, confident and in my flow. And, most importantly, I knew I needed to take responsibility for how I showed up.

In this exchange, my team made choices to look out for the best interests of everyone involved. In that moment, I was influencing my team and representing myself, our CPA firm, women and the accounting profession. In my mind, there was no other option but integrity.

Responses that stem from fear or anger are rarely productive. Reciprocating snide comments only perpetuates the very behavior you’re trying to move past. Instead, I used my vital (finite) resources to move forward, affording everyone the space to interact from their highest potential. This is when positive change can materialize.

To read more about this as well as strategies to move beyond it, click on this Forbes link.