Career Stages of Executive Women: The Role of Self in Career Development

Self-concept, self-esteem and self-confidence play a variety of roles in the arena of career and academic development. In the corporate environment, self-confidence is a key to overcoming internal and external barriers during the careers of executive women. The early career stages of executive women consist of a period of uncertainty and discovering, while they learn their new corporate environment. During the latter career stages, executive women learn how to succeed in their position and how the corporate culture works. Executive women attain more confidence as they learn about their new skills and become more effective leaders. The leadership style of executive women tends to be more cooperative than the traditional hierarchical leadership style of men. From a sociological perspective, the development of self depends upon the social context where one can derive a strong sense of self. In the corporate arena, there are societal expectations that are different for men and women. Being aware of their talents and building on accomplishments, executive women can increase their self-confidence and build a strong sense to achieve success in a diverse corporate environment.