When I walked into my first Air Force fighter squadron on day one (keep in mind this was almost 20 years ago), I was the only female fighter pilot. I knew I had to prove myself and put more pressure on myself to perform because I didn’t want to “ruin it for all the women who followed me.” That’s a lot of pressure. But at the time, there were only 43 female fighter pilots in the entire Air Force, just over 1% of the overall number of fighter pilots. Despite all the pressure, the truth is, the jet doesn’t know the difference. And I found out, that in all reality, my team didn’t care about the difference either, as long as I was credible and capable in the airplane. It wasn’t always easy, but I eventually found my way in this male-dominated environment.

Here are a few methods for overcoming the challenges of working in a male-dominated environment, which can benefit both training professionals and their learners:

• Be credible. More than anything, credibility and capability are critical to proving your place in an organization. Work hard and take pride in what you do. Know your job and do it well. Be consistent in your preparation and your performance. As you prepare, you become competent, and when you are competent, you become more confident.
• Be authentic and stay true to who you are. Women often feel the need to “fit in” and become “one of the guys” — I certainly did. But the reality is that women bring unique ideas and opinions to the table. You have a unique perspective and can bring a different thought-process or viewpoint to a team. Your words and opinions matter – speak up. And if you stay true to who you are, then you will be more comfortable and happier with your role on the team.

• Find your wingmen. Take the time to cultivate relationships and build connections with your team. Find people in your organization who will advocate for you and speak up for you. Look for a support network outside of your organization as well. Find common connections and shared interests to provide an outlet and to answer questions. You’re not alone. Someone has likely been there and done it, so don’t be afraid to ask for help if you need it.
• Focus on continuous improvement. Never stop learning. Instead of looking at mistakes and failure as “ruining it for all the women who follow you,” take a different approach. Mistakes are opportunities to improve if you have the right mindset. Be willing to learn and grow. Volunteer for new experiences. Take on leadership roles. Look for opportunities for personal and professional development. By focusing on continuous improvement, you can elevate your performance and the performance of the team.
• Keep an open mind. Sometimes men don’t know what to say or how to act around women in a male-dominated workplace. Show them the right way to interact or interface with female co-workers in an appropriate way. Let them know where you stand.

Find your purpose and your passion. If that purpose and passion happens to be in a male-dominated environment, then you can overcome those challenges. It may not always be easy, but if you feel confident in your skills and abilities and love what you do, then it’s worth it.

It turns out, we’re not so different after all….