#11 Micro is beautiful (Eng & Fra)

Tribute to my own private Musquetaires

*Scrollez pour la version française, my friends*

I remember the first time I read Lean In (Sheryl Sandberg, ed. Knopf, 2013). It was a different time then and nobody talked about women at work, and I remember how blown away I was by her prose, how safe I felt reading her. For the first time I realized the frustration I had been experiencing was part of a much bigger problem. I was not the problem, nor was I alone, and what a relief. I remember I got such a confidence boost I felt I had cracked it.

I also remember what happened the next day. I sat at my desk and… nothing! Nothing at all, everything was the same, my boss and my colleagues, the work load and the pressure, and above all, the fog surrounding my ability to move forward. Where had the magic gone? Inspiration was great but how did you get in motion?

I was willing you know, I was READY, I was not afraid, I just didn’t know where to start.

I partnered with Voxe to create THE Masterclass I missed at the time, where I share my Microempowerment method and give you the micro steps for all the challenges we all encounter at work: promoting and be visible, saying, negotiating, meeting and networking, asserting our limits, building healthy relationships, asking for more money. 

This is where I decided to stop looking at the top of the mountain (Sheryl), sat down at its foot, and started observing my surroundings instead. And here they were, my colleagues, the three cool kids assorted as the Musquetaires, my peers on the desk and who taught me a lot without knowing, I rarely talk about them so José, Rodrigo, André, if you read me, this letter is for you.

Obviously these guys had got something right but I couldn’t put my finger on what it was. It was so small I couldn’t see anything at first. So I watched and watched closer, until I saw. And they were playing it so well, micro scale.

They did things like arriving in the morning saying: “Hi, good morning, by the way I talked to xxx and we decided to move forward”, or “I read this last night, and thought this could impact our position”, or “I had an idea talking to xyz, tell me what you think”. In meetings they said: “I agree with what was just said”, when they did something they went: “I did it that way, what do you think?”

Small, small, tiny, tiny.

It was very discrete things you see, everyday. But powerful believe me. Because by doing so, they created a fluid relationship with their boss, showed their work, were visible, stayed in people mental landscape - everybody knew what they did!

They knew that the point is not to be bright. The point is to be there, exist out loud.

They mastered the art of promoting, all staying at micro level. And please note I am just talking about the visibility part here! Beautiful isn’t it.

Small, small, tiny, tiny.

And speaking of mountain, here is a “Reflection of Mount Fuji in Lake Kawaguchi” by Hokusai (1760-1849) because I find this blue soothing and dream to go there (climb it?) one day.

This is what I called “microempowerment” and have been exploring in my work since. Baby steps that are so small they are inoffensive. You cannot be judged or rejected when you share information or ask for advice, you cannot be trapped in endless questionning about your legitimacy when it’s so small.

There are micro steps for all the challenges we all encounter at work: promoting and be visible, saying, negotiating, meeting and networking, asserting our limits, building healthy relationships and asking for more money.

Let’s not be goverened by fear. Fear comes from looking at the top of the mountain. Micro is the source of your power.

Now, on your saddle, and off you go!

Clara

*Et nous voici en French-speaking zone, enjoy!*

Je me souviens de la première fois que j'ai lu Lean In (Sheryl Sandberg, éd. Knopf, 2013). À l'époque on ne parlait pas encore autant des femmes au travail, et je me souviens d’avoir été transportée par son propos, et de mon soulagement. Pour la première fois je réalisais que mes frustrations au travail faisaient partie d'un problème bien plus vaste, que je n’avais pas failli, et que je n'étais pas seule. Je me souviens du shot de confiance et d’avoir cru que mon ciel serait désormais sans nuages.  

Je me souviens aussi de ce qui s'est passé le jour suivant. Je me suis assise à mon bureau et... rien ! Absolument rien, rien n’avait changé : mon patron, mes collègues, la charge de travail, la pression, ni surtout le brouillard qui entourait ma capacité à progresser, tout était là sauf la magie de la lecture et la réponse dont j’avais besoin : comment passer de l’inspiration à l’application ?

J'étais prête voyez-vous, vraiment prête, j’avais pas peur, mais je ne savais pas où commencer.

I partnered with Voxe to create THE Masterclass I missed at the time, where I share my Microempowerment method and give you the micro steps for all the challenges we all encounter at work: promoting and be visible, saying, negotiating, meeting and networking, asserting our limits, building healthy relationships, asking for more money and more.