Whenever I talk to women- including very successful executives and entrepreneurs- a common concern is lack of self-confidence (a condition know as the Imposter Syndrome).  Lack of confidence keeps many women from taking the risks needed to move up within an organization or move out to create companies of their own.  [I will be writing more about this in the future].

At the moment, I’m working with Kathy Klotz-Guest to design a workshop for women to boost confidence and risk-taking.  Kathy recently wrote a thoughtful piece on the issue of  women and risk from her perspective as an improviser.   Given its relevance to our joint project, I want to refer you to that blog post:  Women, Careers and Risk.

Meanwhile, my friend and colleague Kimberly Wiefling has published a collection of stories by and about 10 women who felt the fear and took the risks anyway.  Called Scrappy Women in Business:  Living Proof that Bending the Rules Isn’t Breaking the Law, it’s a fast, fun, and inspirational book.

What are your thoughts on confidence and risk-taking in women?  I’d love to hear your perspective.