Stereotyping Women in Business
July 24, 2007 3:20 PM
A piece of utterly predictable research, undertaken by Catalyst, the US-based research and advisory group, suggests that because Women in Business still face the same old male prejudices they have faced for many years, it may be virtually impossible for them to be considered truly successful business icons.
Honestly, what a load of claptrap. To suggest that women in business who conform to gender stereotyping may too soft; or that those who don't might otherwise be considered 'ball breakers', does a complete disservice to those thousands, perhaps even hundreds of thousands of women, who as managers and senior executives, regularly put their male counterparts to shame.
The business community has become so conventionally stereotyped in its own way, that it seems to have forgotten that there is no such thing as a guaranteed formula for success. True, there may be no obvious female equivalents to Jack Welch, Lee Iacocca or Bill Gates, but have any of these three business leaders, for example, been berated for expressing their feminine side too often, whilst in charge of their respective organisations?
The concept of invention, manufacturing, commerce and trading still has its roots entrenched in male dominated prejudices; a history in which women were neither encouraged to collaborate or participate. These roots still go deep, as do the prejudices which accompany them. However, as much as we are drawn kicking and screaming into the new millennia, very little has changed, other than a grudging recognition that women now have a greater role to play in the workplace. It is still the case that they have to work 50% harder than many of their male counterparts to achieve the same levels of recognition, reward and appreciation; and they may forever, labour under that yoke of historical prejudices which still remains. However, they are now becoming a group to be reckoned with in their own right and they no longer have to force their way through from the second line of the chorus to gain recognition and stardom. The new generation are the stars of a new breed of business; the catalysts for a different level of thinking about how to engineer the best return for their shareholders. Recognise their value; applaud their commitment and support their intellect and let's do away once and for all with this stereotypical sort of thinking which organisations such as Catalyst regularly uncover.
Comments
I would like to know where you got the figure of 50% harder from?!
To my mind it would be PC gone mad to suggest that men & women think & operate the same, & whereas we know in a perfect world this shouldn't impose a limit on either, because of the value systems inherent in a misogynistically created business world, a woman will have to mimic the characteristics of her male couterparts in order to suceed & achieve at the highest levels.
It may be unfortunate that our businesses have been established to favour male competancies rather than female, however it could also be argued that due to the nature of business (capitalist at least), these traits are in fact necesary & it could really be no other way.
This then ceases to be a sexist problem whilst also reflecting the real world as it is at the moment: Women can & do get to the top however they need to display the necesary skill to do so (as does any male). If the skills that are necesary are also those which psychologically speaking come more naturally to men (pretending that men & women think the same & have the same natural competancies is just plain daft) then you are much more likely to see a majority of men in high powered positions than women.
Equality laws are not there to ensure some kind of 50/50 split amoungst our workforce, unfortuantely many people interpret them as such & try & apply this 'ideal' to a real world that cannot support it. Equality is there to make sure everyone gets the chance to apply & suceed at the highest level, & as we can see this is working just fine otherwise there would be no female senior execs at all, let alone hundreds of thousands of them!
Stan - July 24, 2007 5:20 PM
Stan
Thank you for your kind and comprehensive observations.
Firstly, the suggestion that women have to work 50% harder to achieve the same recognition as men came via the Catalyst study. I would be more inclined to say that they have to put in 50% more effort.
Secondly and more importantly, the dynamics of commerce have changed in the last 2 millennia. Commerce and trade were more considered the domain of men because it required their skills and traits to make it happen. Invention, manufacturing and horse-trading are more commonly associated with the male ego than the female, although there are a few notable exceptions. However, as trade and commerce has matured, the dynamic required to run successful organisations has changed to favour those with different skills. So amongst the cut and thrust of industry today, those with a stronger grasp of organisation, administration, collaboration and versatility are more likely to succeed as leaders. These are generally skills more closely aligned to the female ego than the male; although again with some notable exceptions.
The point is that this is not some sort of enforced equality or the PC brigade gone mad. It is simply recognising and giving credence to the skills and values of both men and women in business; and discarding the prejudices of the past is the only way that they may be allowed to compete head-to-head on a level playing field.
Charlie - July 25, 2007 8:38 AM
I do not want females in positions of authority because most of them go completely hitler like when put in some sort of power. They are a meance to the work place, bullying and making under team personal thoroughly miserable , the young and inexperienced seem to be the targets of these women. I would never work for a woman - men only please.
lesley - August 1, 2007 11:42 AM
Oh Lesley, how right you are. Exercising disproportionate levels of power and influence over others has always been apparent in the workplace; although I suspect you'll find that this applies equally to men as it does women. The behaviour you describe in your note will be familiar to many; be they men or women. However, it may be misleading to associate it specifically to women. It is often the case that women in management positions are given responsibility without authority and it is this which is so often the cause of dysfunctional behaviour in the workplace. Added to which, many organisational cultures expect their women executives to constantly operate at 150% in order to validate their positions. This combination of factors for so many women in business is the root cause of excessive stress and anxiety which can lead to bouts of dysfunctional and unreasonable behaviour. However, this certainly doesn't exclude men from the equation either, who will occasionally find they are dealing with similar dilemmas, although in general, they will probably find themselves facing an entirely different set of challenges altogether.
Charlie - August 2, 2007 9:53 AM
I am a manager and I know I get paid less than my male counterparts and don't know what to do about it, as to complain gives you a bad name both internally and should you wish to seek other roles - While I love my job, which is why I stay, I also always feel slightly out of the group during management meetings as non business banter will predominately involve subjects such as golf, football and beer - subjects I have little or no interest in - I know I am capable at my job - as does my boss - but my inability to be a buddy on the same level as the other managers always makes me feel different.
I am a female who has different interests to my male counterparts and I feel this prevents me being a real part of the management team.
A female - August 2, 2007 4:34 PM
How familiar will this story sound to thousands of competent and capable women in the workplace.
Thank you for sharing this with us.
Putting aside 'pay parity' for a moment, let's look at how you've described yourself and some of the words you've used; 'left out'; 'business banter'; 'capability'; 'inability'; 'different'; 'prevention'.
All of this references a certain lack of self-esteem, which is not surprising really, since you appear to be the lone voice within a peer pack of alpha males. But fear not, it is your boss and your peers who are missing out and not you, because their behaviour is symptomatic of a rather too obvious display of inadequacy. Hence the banter on topics which are clearly of no interest to you, coupled with a total lack of engagement with you on any level, apart from the professional. This is classic male posturing of the kind you'll see replicated in the pub on a friday evening or on any natural history programme about Silverback Gorillas.
The best response to it is just to ignore it and be yourself in the playground. Don't allow their posturing to affect the way you handle them, talk to them or deal with them. You, after all, are well beyond that level in terms of your development and capability and you really don't have to beat your chest to prove it. So sit back and watch this with mild amusement, as you might some inconsequential sideshow. To allow yourself to become drawn into it will take you nowhere. Over time, they will either come to realise and appreciate the value you add to the team, just because you are different; or they won't.
With regard to the pay parity issue, benchmark what your job pays in the marketplace, not your colleagues. Market rate is always a stronger, more valid argument. Then when your next assessment or review comes up, present it to your boss and ask him what he may require of you to be compensated at that level. Market rate and market conditions will determine how much they really value what you do for them; and if it's below par, then you can be sure that there are others out there who will value your expertise and compensate you accordingly.
Charlie - August 2, 2007 6:59 PM
Thank you for the advice. Very insightful.
A female - August 3, 2007 12:40 PM
Having too many women in the workplace is bad for business, as they tend to get pregnant and immediately stop focussing on their job. I know some companies that lose half their staff to "maternity leave", meaning they have to hold the job open and then the women don't come back after all. They also spend far too much time in meetings and at the shops, and they're extremely hard to get hold of on the phone as they keep their voicemail permanently switched on so that they can gossip. They are reactive not proactive and treat everything as a chore. Women should be at home minding the house and raising their children instead of palming them off on the state, thereby creating generations of uncontrollable kids.
neil - August 3, 2007 1:00 PM
I hate statistics. The answers to surveys always depend on the people you ask.. In all my years of working I can rate two managers as the best people I have ever worked with. One was a man and the other was a woman.
They had very different ways of working with the male manager being very gentle and sweet and the woman by being straight forward and just getting the job done. She was never a bulldozer but she definately got people moving.
Which one did I prefer working with? Both. They were both fantastic. To me it depends on personality type not gender.
Bianca - August 5, 2007 5:59 PM
Bianca thanks for a bit of perspective.
Firstly, what makes successful characteristics "male"? Some companies actually operate in an environment where bullies and fighters don't float to the surface of the pond. Speaking of ponds, Neil, which one were you staring into when you devised this piece of inflammatory wit?
Women "tend" to get pregnant? Well we'll see what happens when the law changes and men can take part of the maternity period. It's just around the corner. And when it does it will remove your ability to use this argument.
In all seriousness your comments are all sweeping generalisations which most reasonable people would dismiss without a second thought, but I know your comments will provoke a reaction. In the past I worked in construction in an environment which was completely testosterone charged and it was not a great working environment. I dealt with cases of harrassment, physical assault, bullying and offensive remarks towards the public. It was like being part of the police force. I think men and women can be different in the workplace and this should not be ignored. Balance between the two has always been the easiest environment to work in, for me personally.
It can be difficult for organisations to cope with situations when people (men or women) request flexibility in their working arrangements. Pregnancies can come at what are seen to be unfortunate times in terms of the business. But life is full of challenges Neil. Deal with them all. And stop looking for excuses.
Joe Mc - August 6, 2007 10:36 AM
Bianca
Thank you, as always, for your kind, thoughtful, intelligent and insightful contribrution.
Neil
Nice try chum...but it just won't wash and you well know it. Most of what you say is just as applicable to Men as it is to Women; apart from the pregnancy bit, of course.
If your contribution was designed to elicit a swathe of angry responses from Women in Business, then you've misjudged them completely. They are much smarter than you give them credit for and much too astute to waste their time responding to such an obvious, stereotypical viewpoint. Perhaps that's why they are so obviously succeeding in areas which you clearly are not.
Charlie - August 6, 2007 10:47 AM
Joe...as always, spot on the money. Thanks.
Charlie - August 6, 2007 1:30 PM
I just reread my comment and I sound like such an arrogant twit... In all my years of working. Next I will be calling my home "The Villa"
Joe, I dont think that all successful charactaristics are male or that all unsuccessful characteristics are female. I feel that even though women have been in the workplace for years, we have not yet realized their impact in higher positions. Where men tend to accept their strenghts and publicly announce them women still tend to see this as gloating or arrogance so they dont give their strengths a chance to stand out.
Its just how I feel sometimes. Instead of standing out and telling bosses what I have achieved during the day/week/month I keep it quite because I dont want to come across as self obsessed.
Charlie, thank you for the compliment, a nice end to the weekend for me. Right now I have to rush back into the kitchen and tend to all the womanly things... :>D
Bianca - August 12, 2007 9:13 PM