Men dominate the workplace, but it doesn’t have to be that way. Women empowerment coach Cindy Watson says that change lies in the rise of the feminine voice.

As women, we’ve all been in that situation before. The one where you listen attentively, maintain eye contact and wait patiently for the opportunity to speak, but that opportunity never quite comes. Determined to express your thoughts, you manage to squeeze in a quick “I think,” or “let me add,” before getting completely ignored and deciding it’s better to just keep to yourself.

After overcoming years of inequality and finally earning a seat for ourselves at the table, studies show that women still struggle to have their voices heard both in the workplace and outside of it. This begs the question – is femininity a liability at work? And will rejecting your feminine side help you get ahead?

In her recent TEDx Talk, founder of Women On Purpose, Cindy Watson says that femininity is not a setback but a strength, and that the feminine voice can be instrumental in helping us restore balance in our currently chaotic world.

In the patriarchal society we live in, women are often given the short end of the stick both in the workplace and outside of it. But Watson believes there is a way we can navigate through it to turn that short stick into a burning fire - and that way is through negotiation.

“All of life is a negotiation,” says Watson, author of the Wall Street Journal and USA Today best-selling book, “Art of Feminine Negotiation.” What if everything we thought about negotiation was wrong? What if the power of feminine persuasion could allow us to step into the best of our humanity, shifting us from fear and uncertainty to powerful resilience and possibility?” she adds.

Whether you are looking to negotiate a promotion or position at work, or a better relationship with an intimate partner or children, Art of Feminine Negotiation will help elevate your persuasive powers and influence in all aspects of life.

In the book, Watson debunks the myths and multi-generational gender conditioning that has long stopped women from fully stepping into their power. She also explores the key skill sets that mark superior negotiators, and teaches you how to master them.

“In a world where everyone chooses the Art of Feminine Negotiation as the new model – rapport-building, empathy, flexibility, and trust will be brought to the table – not coming from a place of competition, but a place of understanding, respect and meeting the needs of others. in doing so, paving the path to better, more creative solutions, relationships, and longer lasting agreements,” she says.

Helping women step into their feminine power and find their voice is something that Watson has been doing practically all her life, sharing that it’s something that’s always been natural to her, even as a child.

“People that I haven't seen since high school have reached out to me going, oh my god, this is so perfect. You did that in high school. I don't know if you realize it, but you were always lifting us up. You always made us feel better about ourselves,” she says. “I just intuitively felt that it was so important that we lift people up and have them feel better after every experience.”

Today, Watson is an award-winning author, practicing attorney with more than 30 years of experience, a world-class women's empowerment coach and consultant, who helps women regain the power in their voice.

“There's no one way to be a woman,” she says. “Some will have a bit of a harder edge and that's okay. It doesn't mean you're any less feminine. It doesn't mean you can't tap into your feminine power.”

“It's about recognizing that we all have masculine and feminine energy and if we imagine how different the world could be if we all got a little more intentional about tapping into those so called feminine or softer skills to have more collaborative approaches, when facing some of these challenges, it can make a big difference,” she concludes.

If you would like to delve deeper into the art of feminine negotiation or learn more from Cindy Watson, be sure to book a Breakthrough Session on Stepping into Your Feminine Power.