13 Jun Building Professional Status and Power
Alison Fragale, research psychologist from the University of North Carolina’s Kenan Flagler Business School and bestselling author of Likable Badass: How Women Get the Success They Deserve, shares essential strategies for building professional status and power that help women gain the recognition and advancement they deserve in their careers.
Understanding Power vs. Status
Building professional status and power begins with understanding these two distinct but related concepts:
Power involves controlling resources that people value, such as:
- Budget authority
- Hiring and firing decisions
- Performance review capabilities
- Decision-making autonomy
Status represents how much you’re respected and regarded by others through their judgments of your value and capabilities.
Both elements serve as sources of influence, life satisfaction, and career advancement, yet women often struggle more than men to achieve equal levels of power and status relative to their qualifications.
The Science Behind Professional Influence
Alison’s research reveals that building professional status and power relies on how others perceive you across two key dimensions:
- Warmth/Caring: Whether someone is other-oriented rather than selfish, displaying qualities like sincerity, honesty, and genuine concern
- Competence/Capability: Whether someone can deliver results and execute effectively on their intentions
Her “likable badass” framework describes individuals who successfully communicate both caring and capability—the most effective approach for earning respect and advancing professionally.
Overcoming Limiting Mindsets
Reframing Imposter Syndrome
Rather than viewing imposter syndrome as a character flaw, Alison suggests treating it like sore muscles after a workout:
- High goals naturally create a gap between current performance and aspirations
- This gap motivates better performance but can feel uncomfortable
- The feeling indicates you’re setting appropriately ambitious goals
- Accept it as part of the growth process rather than fighting it
Breaking Free from Other Mental Barriers
Common limiting beliefs that hinder building professional status and power include:
- Believing that being strategic means being inauthentic
- Thinking status-seeking is inherently negative
- Assuming good work will automatically be recognized
- Feeling too busy to invest in self-promotion
Mastering Authentic Self-Promotion
The Storytelling Audit
Alison recommends conducting a personal storytelling audit to become aware of unconscious habits:
- Notice when you hold back positive news to avoid seeming boastful
- Identify patterns of self-deprecating comments
- Recognize missed opportunities to share achievements
- Track how often you deflect compliments
Effective Story-Telling Strategies
The “Brag and Thank” Technique:
- Share positive achievements while expressing gratitude to others who contributed
- Example: “We had amazing wins this week thanks to the responsive support from other departments”
- This approach maintains warmth while highlighting competence
Transforming Throwaway Conversations: Instead of responding “fine” or “busy” to casual questions, provide intriguing responses that invite follow-up questions:
- “I had the best day today” (creates curiosity)
- “I’m great—I love sleeping in my own bed after only sleeping in it two nights last month” (opens storytelling opportunities)
Creative Communication Channels:
- Use out-of-office email messages as storytelling tools
- Transform routine updates into narrative opportunities
- Leverage social media for strategic sharing with gratitude
The Power of Mentorship in Professional Development
Alison emphasizes that mentorship plays a crucial role in building professional status and power throughout one’s career. Effective mentorship extends beyond career planning to include:
- Status management skills
- Authentic self-promotion techniques
- Executive presence development
- Overcoming limiting mindsets with external perspective
She advocates for being both a mentor and mentee simultaneously, regardless of career stage, as both roles provide valuable learning opportunities for professional growth.
Conclusion
Successfully building professional status and power requires intentional practice and self-awareness. By understanding the science behind professional influence, overcoming limiting mindsets, and developing authentic self-promotion skills, women can achieve the recognition and advancement they deserve. The key lies in consistently demonstrating both warmth and competence while strategically sharing your story with colleagues and leaders.
About Alison Fragale
Alison Fragale is a research psychologist and award-winning professor at the Kenan Flagler Business School at the University of North Carolina. She holds a PhD in organizational psychology from Stanford University and is the bestselling author of Likable Badass: How Women Get the Success They Deserve.
As an international keynote speaker, Fragale specializes in translating academic research on status, power, negotiation, and influence into actionable strategies for professional success. Her research and commentary have been featured in leading publications including The Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, Boston Globe, Fast Company, Inc. Magazine, and the Financial Times.
Alison’s work focuses on helping individuals, particularly women, overcome barriers to advancement by developing authentic self-promotion skills and building professional influence.