Not Just a Workhorse

She walked in for her performance review meeting with apprehension

To highlight her achievements over the past year was her intention

She had come well-prepared, she was going to stay

Calm and confident throughout, this meeting she was going to slay

And finally ask for the promotion she knew she deserved

She thought she could get it as long as her composure she could preserve

*

On a positive note the performance review did begin

Her hopes were raised- she thought this time she would win

But soon it morphed in to criticism thinly-veiled

And she realized that once again she had failed

To move ahead in her career, land a promotion coveted

She had thought working hard would be enough, now her naïveté she regretted

*

This is the story of many women in the workplace

Where barriers to professional advancement they face

Throughout their professional lives as workhorses they are perceived

They are viewed as reliable, but are unable to achieve

Leadership positions despite doing everything they think is right

Because- for visibility and exposure they do not fight

They work hard, even smart, but in the shadows stay

Self-promotion is a trait they rarely display

Good mentors they often do not find

Their value to the organization remains ill-defined..

*

Women need more role models at the workplace

To guide them through the various roadblocks they could face

Especially when vying for leadership positions-

Women too deserve to realize their ambitions