• Gender equality in the workplace has made strides, but women in leadership roles still encounter more scrutiny than their male counterparts.
• If a position resonates with their capabilities and experience, women should throw their hats in the ring even if they don’t meet the job criteria 100%.
• Women should embrace their natural leadership styles to bring about positive workplace culture shifts.
• This article is for women who want to strengthen their leadership skills and advance in the workplace.

In the past, many women have struggled to find acceptance in the workplace because of societal expectations and stereotypes. However, women have made enormous strides in several formerly male-dominated industries and are excelling in leadership roles.

While gender equality has made notable strides, female entrepreneurs still face challenges, and women in leadership roles often encounter more scrutiny, and are judged more harshly, than their male counterparts. In fact, women leaders often say they must work twice as hard to earn the same respect as men.

If these challenges sound familiar to you, read on for tips to help you prove your leadership merit in the workplace while inspiring other women to follow in your footsteps.

Did you know?: The human resources, education, social services, healthcare and hospitality industries have the highest rates of women in leadership positions.

Why women leaders should leave their comfort zones

A commonly cited Hewlett-Packard study on internal hiring practices found that men often apply for a job when they meet 60% of the qualifications, but women apply only if they meet 100% of them. This finding implies that women subconsciously believe that if they don’t meet the job criteria exactly, they’re not suitable for the position and they won’t be considered. Because of this self-doubt, they don’t throw their hat into the ring.

Changing this belief takes conscious effort. If a position resonates with their capabilities and experience, women should focus on the mindset that they’re entirely capable of doing the work and then prove their merit during the interview process. [Need an interview refresher? Check out our complete guide to a successful job interview.]

Here’s what some experts have to say about the importance of women aiming high:

• Women are socialized to be perfect. Reshma Saujani, founder and CEO of Girls Who Code, said that while girls are taught to play it safe, smile pretty and get all A’s, boys are taught to play rough and swing high. “In other words, we’re raising our girls to be perfect, and we’re raising our boys to be brave,” she said in a TED talk. Even when women are ambitious, the socialization of perfection often leads them to risk aversion, Saujani said.
• Recognize the fear, and do the hard thing anyway. Devoreaux Walton, owner of Distinct Personal Branding, believes success is found outside our comfort zone but is often hindered by the fear of the unknown. “Every successful entrepreneur and business leader did what they were afraid to do instead of just letting the fear rule in their personal and professional lives,” she said. According to Walton, the best way to overcome fear is to acknowledge that the fear is there but to do the thing that scares you anyway. If you’re too rigid, you could miss one of those serendipitous “aha” moments that could inspire a creative solution or force a different approach.
• Don’t miss out on opportunities that come your way. Angie Hicks, co-founder and chief marketing officer of Angi (formerly Angie’s List), had to face her fears when she was approached about starting the now-national customer review service as an introverted college graduate. “My biggest challenge was combating the fact that I was really shy and quiet,” Hicks said at the inaugural American Express OPEN CEO BootCamp. “In starting a business, you have to get out and talk to people. I was doing door-to-door [subscription] sales, which was the last thing I ever thought I would do.” Leaving her comfort levels paved the way for Hicks to take advantage of opportunities that never would have arisen otherwise. “Don’t miss out on opportunities that come your way,” she said. “Put yourself in a position to have those opportunities; know when one is facing you, and take it…[MORE]