If you are a woman who works in a team of men, you’d agree that the experience can be both thrilling as well as draining. Even today in the modern times, the fair sex may be treated as inferior leading to the woman feeling suppressed and victimized.

It is essential to take a few steps back to introspect and re-evaluate the manner in which you want to project yourself to command the respect and get work done from various stakeholders involved.

Here are a few tips that should help you to make your presence felt in the team:

Dress Gracefully: Your attempt should be to look presentable and professional. Dress in a way that portrays you as a smart and dignified professional. Women in an attempt of looking sexy; end up dressing provocatively at work. This plays badly in the way the opposite gender perceives them.

Focus on being knowledgeable: Knowledge is one of the most powerful weapons for a professional and is never gender biased. Knowledge makes you confident. The more you know, the more you can contribute to the team and the more admiration you are likely to draw even from the male colleagues.

Speak up for yourself: For a team member to give you importance; you need to feel important in your mind. Have a say in every situation and if you feel strongly about something, don’t shy away from speaking up.

Be Friendly…But not too much: Be amicable with the men in your team but do not be over friendly. Over Friendliness may send out wrong signals to the male counterpart interfering in a sound working relationship. Ensure that you have a positive body language and tone of voice while communicating. Lastly, maintain a decent interpersonal distance while interacting with all your male colleagues.

It is important to remember that others will view you in the same lens as you view yourself. Take yourself seriously, appear confident and take pride in the contribution you bring on the table for the team.