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Talk of helping women succeed in business is getting a lot of attention. While the intention is admirable, much of it is just empty talk. Maybe a few news stories discuss the issue or people tweet about the topic for a few days, but it rarely leads to tangible action.

Raising awareness concerning the issues women face in business is important, but if you really want to help today’s women in business and the women of the future, you have to do more than just talk and engage on social media. Empowering women requires more than just acknowledging the problem; specialized small business funding and loans and criteria should be taken into account. The following are a few simple things you can do to empower women in the business world.

Accept Different Standards of Success 

Different people across different industries measure success in many unique ways. Some people might be more career-driven while others may value personal goals more. You may also have people who strive for individual achievement and others who take more value from working in a team environment. If you want to empower women, you need to recognize the various goals that different women may have.

Respect Self-Advocacy

Self-advocacy is one of the most powerful tools a person has to advance their interests in the business world. Unfortunately, people tend to view it differently when it comes from women instead of men. Women need to look out for their own interests just as much as men do, so they should not be treated differently for being competitive, asking for raises, or even for going after a new job opportunity or promotion.

Just Treat Them as People

One of the main problems is that people have a tendency to treat men and women differently. This is even true of people who have the best intentions. Instead of trying to figure out the way you should be treating women, just consider the way you treat men in the workplace. Mentor younger women in the same way you mentor young men. Provide the same networking opportunities to women as you would men. Even something as simple as a handshake can make a difference; be sure to use the same proper handshake technique with your female colleagues as you would with men. 

Women have made great strides in business over the last few decades, but we still have issues with inequality. While the above-mentioned tips might not lead to the end of all inequality, they are important steps any person can take to help create an environment that is more empowering to women in business.