How to get the support you need to fulfill your professional potential.
If you’re not getting enough support from your manager to advance your career, you’re not alone. According to McKinsey & Company and Lean In’s 2024 Women in the Workplace report, less than half of women report getting help advancing or navigating work challenges from their managers.
Here are three ways to start finding the resources you need to move forward and gain the support you’re looking for.
Advocate for yourself
Schedule a time to talk to your manager about your concerns and ask for what you need. Explain why this support is in both of your best interests. Be clear in what you’re asking for and as specific as possible. If you’re looking for more resources and opportunities, come prepared with suggestions for training workshops and professional development courses you’re interested in. If you feel undermined or like you’re not being heard, think of specific examples you can communicate to your manager to help create a plan to avoid those situations moving forward.
Look for mentorship in other places
Look around your company. Network internally and get to know other leaders. Is there someone else who champions women’s advancement and would be willing to mentor you? Are there other senior leaders that can help promote your career growth? Are there connections outside the office and in your personal network that can give you the support you’re looking for?
Mentorship can come from different influential people in various areas of your life — there is no one-size-fits-all pamphlet on your perfect mentor, and if your manager is not supporting you, it’s time to look elsewhere.
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Explore ways your company can help
Research shows that managers may not provide adequate support for three reasons: their priorities and performance expectations are not aligned, they lack time and resources and they are not included in the conversation on what’s expected from their role.
Often, companies expect managers to help advance and support their employees but don’t necessarily evaluate them on those expectations. It might be worth bringing up your concerns to someone else in the company to see if those expectations and actions can align by implementing different ways to evaluate managers. And if your company includes your manager
and their input in the conversation, it shows better promise for a change in performance.
Nearly half of managers feel burnt out, which could be a cause of why you’re not getting the support you need. Talk to your company and see if they can provide the management team with tools or ways to lessen their workload — most businesses know good management is an asset to a company and worth investing in.
