I don't know why I read these things. It always raises my blood pressure -
https://medium.com/matter/the-ping-pong-theory-of-tech-world-sexism-c2053c10c06c
I'm active on LinkedIn. A couple of months ago there were tons of articles on women "leaning in" and what the corporate world NEEDS to do for their to be more women leaders.
I'm just stunned by this. I have worked for female execs. Some good, some bad. Women really do have a somewhat different leadership style, but the same core attributes needed for leadership are the same for men or women. There is no secret to obtaining success in the corporate world.
The problem is when people find out about the long hours, the sometimes tough confrontations, and putting your career on the line to take a risk with potential for a huge payoff, they run the other way. Hard work? Long hours? Risk? People not liking me?
I'm not saying you have to be a workaholic. What I am saying is the people who leave at the end of the day while the rest of the team is scrambling to make a deadline are not the people you can count on.
The complaint I get from women is "If I am strong and assertive I get called bossy, or worse, a bitch."
Suck it up, Buttercup. I get called an asshole. Do you think men are immune from criticism? Do you REALLY think a man who is assertive is universally admired?
Leadership is not for the thin-skinned. If you are one of those people who must be liked by everyone, you are not ready for leadership. If you can't handle uncomfortable situations or confrontation, you are not ready for leadership. If you are not ready to stand in front of a senior manager or executive and take the heat when your team fails, you are not ready for leadership.
You know what I take away from a lot of this? These "feminists" don't want to be passed over for being a woman, but they also want to be treated like special snowflakes because they are women.
Can't have it both ways ladies. Either you can run with the big dogs, or you can't. The corporate world is all about the $$$ and anything that slows that down is seen as bad. This isn't government work where they can throw money at problems and can ignore someone who isn't qualified by simply hiring someone who is to work right beside that person.
It makes me angry though because I have worked with so many accomplished professional women. They are out there and they are doing well. Granted, there are not many of them but with more women graduating college than men I suspect in a generation or two we'll see the numbers increase. This is not something you can force. In the meantime, as usual, some people want special treatment regardless of how much others have already accomplished.
The other thing is, I know some of my bosses, co-workers, and employees have experienced sexism. I'm not blind that it is out there. Like so many things in life, they treated it like an obstacle to overcome instead of whining about it. That just makes me prouder to have worked with them. That's how you beat discrimination, by succeeding anyway.
https://medium.com/matter/the-ping-pong-theory-of-tech-world-sexism-c2053c10c06c
I'm active on LinkedIn. A couple of months ago there were tons of articles on women "leaning in" and what the corporate world NEEDS to do for their to be more women leaders.
I'm just stunned by this. I have worked for female execs. Some good, some bad. Women really do have a somewhat different leadership style, but the same core attributes needed for leadership are the same for men or women. There is no secret to obtaining success in the corporate world.
The problem is when people find out about the long hours, the sometimes tough confrontations, and putting your career on the line to take a risk with potential for a huge payoff, they run the other way. Hard work? Long hours? Risk? People not liking me?
I'm not saying you have to be a workaholic. What I am saying is the people who leave at the end of the day while the rest of the team is scrambling to make a deadline are not the people you can count on.
The complaint I get from women is "If I am strong and assertive I get called bossy, or worse, a bitch."
Suck it up, Buttercup. I get called an asshole. Do you think men are immune from criticism? Do you REALLY think a man who is assertive is universally admired?
Leadership is not for the thin-skinned. If you are one of those people who must be liked by everyone, you are not ready for leadership. If you can't handle uncomfortable situations or confrontation, you are not ready for leadership. If you are not ready to stand in front of a senior manager or executive and take the heat when your team fails, you are not ready for leadership.
You know what I take away from a lot of this? These "feminists" don't want to be passed over for being a woman, but they also want to be treated like special snowflakes because they are women.
Can't have it both ways ladies. Either you can run with the big dogs, or you can't. The corporate world is all about the $$$ and anything that slows that down is seen as bad. This isn't government work where they can throw money at problems and can ignore someone who isn't qualified by simply hiring someone who is to work right beside that person.
It makes me angry though because I have worked with so many accomplished professional women. They are out there and they are doing well. Granted, there are not many of them but with more women graduating college than men I suspect in a generation or two we'll see the numbers increase. This is not something you can force. In the meantime, as usual, some people want special treatment regardless of how much others have already accomplished.
The other thing is, I know some of my bosses, co-workers, and employees have experienced sexism. I'm not blind that it is out there. Like so many things in life, they treated it like an obstacle to overcome instead of whining about it. That just makes me prouder to have worked with them. That's how you beat discrimination, by succeeding anyway.
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