March is Women's History Month--Women and Leadership--Part 1 (413 hits)
While reading the online edition of the Wall Street Journal, I ran across two articles on how women mistreat each other in the workplace. I found myself questioning the reasons why women engaged in this behavior and how we can change the thinking that generates the behavior. --Nona
Peggy Klaus of the NY Times offered this poignant comment in her article:
Despite all the money spent annually on women’s leadership conferences and professional development programs, you’d be hard-pressed to find a workshop on women mistreating one another at work. Don’t get me wrong: I’m a huge proponent of women’s leadership programs. But teaching career skills is not enough if we ignore one of the most important reasons for holding these events in the first place: learning to value one another so we can all get ahead.
Ms. Klaus went on to say:
If we really want to clear one of the last remaining hurdles to gender parity and career success, let’s start treating one another not worse or better, but simply as well as we already treat the guys — or better yet, the way we want our nieces, daughters, granddaughters and sisters to be treated.
Preoccupations: A Sisterhood of Workplace Infighting by Peggy Klaus
The Juggle: When Women Derail Other Women in the Office by Rachel Emma Silverman ----------------------------------------------------------------- I say, AMEN! Do you have any thoughts on the subject?
Just the other day, one of the senior nurses commented that junior nurses shouldn't jump so quickly to take leadership roles on our unit if they don't know what they are suppose to do. Do you know this senior nurse who normally is in charge of the nursing unit had been looking for things to say and once the junior nurse left, she went through all the things she hadn't done? Infighting and derailing other women in nursing is a major problem especially where I work.
I don't really know why we can't get along and work to help one another in the work place. I hope that during Women's History Month we can look further into this. Perhaps you can do more blogs about this? Just a thought --- how is it in your workplace amongst the women?
Wednesday, March 3rd 2010 at 7:25AM
Jen Fad
Thanks for your comment. Competition and our socialization plays a major role in how we behave in the workplace and socially. I do plan to write more about this.
Friday, March 5th 2010 at 8:53AM
Nona Ogunsula
