Andrea Janzen: Empowering Women in Leadership
Break free from the advice trap with Andrea Janzen and discover actionable growth opportunities beyond information overload.
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In This Episode
Hosts Emily and Dave are joined by Andrea Janzen, Founder and CEO of Ambition Theory. Andrea’s company seeks to address the lack of female role models and managers in the construction industry, a reality faced by 72% of women in the field. Their mission is to inspire change by creating visible examples of women in leadership positions.
During the episode, the conversation covers a range of topics. They discuss the power of niching down and the resistance people often face when narrowing their focus. Imposter syndrome and the fear of scarcity are explored, shedding light on the challenges associated with embracing a specific niche.
One significant aspect highlighted is some of the research that informs Ambition Theory’s practices. Andrea notes research that reveals a striking contradiction known as the “Double Bind.” The research found that while 78% of women were advised to be more confident to accelerate their path to leadership, a staggering 70% of those same women were told they were being too bossy when they exhibited leadership traits. This contradictory feedback further emphasizes the need for specialized training programs tailored to women’s experiences.
Throughout the episode, Andrea and the hosts delve into the importance of creating visible role models and investing in women employees. They discuss the significance of sponsorship over mentorship, emphasizing its higher return on investment. Additionally, they explore breaking free from the constraints of the “advice trap” and the role of comfort zones in personal and professional growth.
By combining Andrea’s expertise, the engaging dynamic between the hosts, and the research findings, the episode provides valuable insights and actionable strategies for accelerating leadership goals. Listeners gain an understanding of the challenges faced by women in the construction industry and the necessity of specialized training programs that empower and support their growth.
0-10 minutes
Dave gets Emily talking about all of her recent adventures and how she fits it all in. We are introduced to Andrea who shares how she first met Emily—hint: it was another Boiling Point connection! Emily talks about how a gift from Andrea helped accelerate her five year goals.
10-20 minutes
Andrea dives into the origins of her business and the group discusses niching down. Emily, Dave, and Andrea share reasons why people might resist niching down, including imposter syndrome and fear of scarcity.
20-30 minutes
The group continues to discuss niching down. They move into. Conversation about women in leadership and the “double bind” where studies have shown that women are told to both be more confident and also be less bossy/aggressive. Andrea goes a bit deeper into these findings and the group discusses the importance of women having women role models—and how that can lead to more authenticity.
30-40 minutes
Andrea introduces us to the idea of sponsorship over mentorship. She defines and distinguishes between the two, noting that sponsorship yields a much higher ROI. Andrea discusses how women often get suck in the “advice trap” where they are receiving a ton of info without opportunity.
40+ minutes
The group discusses comfort zones and how they can be an amazing protective feature but can also be very limiting. Emily and Dave share their takeaways.
ANDREA JANZEN
Founder & CEO of Ambition Theory
Ambition Theory Founder and CEO (since 2017)
Andrea is a Certified Executive Coach with an MBA, the host of the Ambition Theory Podcast, a Forbes contributor and a top-rated speaker. She is passionate about coaching women in construction to develop themselves, set leadership goals and get results. Since 2018, Andrea has coached and trained over 1,000 construction professionals. Before becoming a coach, Andrea was a marketing leader that worked on some of the world’s best-known brands.