“Wisdom for Wealth. For Life.” Episode 43: How to Empower Women in the Workplace

At Blue Trust, we are kicking off Women’s Month with the release of our latest “Wisdom for Wealth. For Life.” podcast! In this episode, financial advisor Bethany Frymire had an insightful conversation with Melissa Harrison, President and Executive Director of 4word, and Catherine Gates, VP of Programs and Partnerships. The trio discussed 4word’s work, the importance of women in the workplace, and how women can advocate for themselves and support each other.

4word’s Mission

4word exists to help Christian women in the workplace reach their God-given potential with confidence. The organization recently merged with Polished to reach even more women in their faith and work. They offer mentorship programs, community groups in cities across the country, and executive women’s programs for business leaders. Their goal is to create safe spaces where women can authentically integrate their faith and work lives and find support from like-minded peers.

The Importance of Women in the Workplace

Everyone benefits when women are supported in the workplace. Catherine shared a compelling statistic: the share price performance of companies with at least one woman on their board outperforms boards without a woman by 26%. Plus, organizations with a good mix of men and women experience increased productivity, innovation, and higher employee retention and satisfaction.

Why does this happen? Women tend to be natural relationship builders who bring collaboration, empathy, and people-focused perspectives to complement the bottom-line focus that traditionally dominates workplace culture. Together, these diverse approaches create balanced, sustainable organizations.

The Power of Mentorship and Sponsorship

Despite these unique strengths, many women struggle with advocating for themselves both in the workplace and in their personal lives, fearing they’ll be labeled as “too aggressive,” “too ambitious,” or “too opinionated.” The speakers emphasized that having a supportive community is crucial for overcoming these challenges.

“It’s like a muscle,” Melissa explained about speaking up for yourself. “The more you do it, the easier it gets because you see that God meets you there and he shows up.”

It’s also easier to advocate for yourself when you feel supported by others. “For me, what has helped a lot is having really strong mentors who can teach me lessons they have learned or share skills and advice they have,” Melissa said. “That’s so important for a woman.”

4word offers women the opportunity to connect with mentors (who share experiences and act as a sounding board) and sponsors (who open doors and pave the way for advancement). The group’s 10-week mentor program carefully matches women through detailed applications and prayer, creating powerful relationships that help women achieve their personal and professional goals.

The group also builds communities where women can connect across generations to share wisdom and encouragement. Many of their programs are designed to make networking accessible for women who lack time but crave meaningful professional relationships.

“Being proactive about providing women with leadership, advancement opportunities, education, sponsors, and mentorship can go a long way toward making sure those strengths are leveraged in an organization,” Catherine said.

Living Out Your Value with Confidence and Humility

For women entering the workforce, the speakers emphasized knowing your value in Christ while holding your plans loosely. The key is finding the balance between confidence and humility – recognizing that your talents are God-given while being willing to grow through challenges and even failures.

“We [should] understand that we are God’s masterpiece and that He has blessed us with specific skills and talents to use for His glory,” Catherine said. “When you’re a woman of faith, you’ve got an advantage because we can abide in Christ and lean on Him for strength. We can lean on Him for wisdom.

“If I could tell a young woman just starting out, [I’d say] ‘This doesn’t all depend on your strength and abilities. It depends on God,’” Catherine continued. “That is the most profound and powerful thing I wish I had gotten as a young professional … I think it’s really important to know our value in Christ and then to find those mentorships early on.”

To learn more about 4word’s mission and impact, visit 4wordwomen.org. You can also get a copy of Catherine’s book, “The Confidence  Cornerstone: A Woman’s Guide to Fearless Leadership” at theconfidencecornerstone.com.

Discover Blue Trust’s financial planning services for women at bluetrust.com/financial-planning-for-women.

 

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