The Importance of Women Supporting Women

Studies show time and time again that women benefit from collaboration over competition. This is significant because when women support each other, they are more successful in business and in life.

I experienced this firsthand just the other day. I was working on a video project on emotional intelligence with a woman colleague here at OTA that requires a written script before the taping. We both agreed to have a draft written up by the end of the week. We would then conjoin scripts. A few days before it was due, she reached out to me and said, “When I sat down to write the script, I realized that I don’t know much about the subject. “It sounded like a good idea at the time, but you are the expert in that area.” She went on to say that she felt terrible about not realizing her shortcomings earlier.

Now this particular woman is an amazing presenter. She lights up any room the minute she enters and inspires many. I could only wish to be as good as she is at presenting.

So I responded with, “No worries. I’ll write it. This is the stuff I’m good at it. You do what you are good at, and I will do what I’m good at, and together we will create an incredible product in the end.”

This is a perfect example of the power of women supporting women through collaboration.

What might be a superpower for one person can be quite difficult for someone else, and vise versa, what might be very difficult for one person can be someone else’s superpower. This is where a strong network of women, a tribe or a committee of champions can help.

Your network is your pack. It is a key group of people who not only work with you, they know you, they hear you, they empower you and they come to your rescue when in need. These women are also your mentors, teachers, guides and friends. As women in the work force, we have a responsibility to share our gifts and talents. This is especially true for the more experienced generation. They can help mentor their younger colleagues. A sort of paying it forward, if you will.

The OTA Women’s circle is a venue for women to support each other and pay it forward. Building an internal women’s networking group and acknowledging that we are stronger together can help to improve not only our working environment and boost each others confidence, the benefits of networking ripples into all aspect of our lives at home and in relationships. The circle is intended to be a safe place where women can connect, share their experiences, get support, learn, and have fun. Each month there is a different topic such as balancing work and life, identifying habits that may be holding one back, stress management, challenging gender bias, leadership, and more.

This is not a workshop. It is more like a conversation - a support group - women helping women!

I spoke to some of the women who attended our first Women’s Circle in January 2020 and asked why the group is so important. This is what they said:

"I feel inspired!"

"Feeling very uplifted after our morning session."

"We had a great time connecting to amazing women here at OTA."

Our vision is for all women of OTA to grow to their fullest potential in every aspect of their life. A woman alone is powerful, but women collectively can do anything!