Often we live in the middle of slow-moving change, which only appears dramatic when we step way back. It makes you wonder what possibilities go unnoticed, and who seizes on the opportunities buried in those slow changes. For instance, I have long thought that the entrance of women into the workplace in large numbers – and increasingly into leadership positions – is an example of such long-slow change. Over time, women (and progressive men who have welcomed their arrival) have humanized and democratized workplace culture. Autocratic, topdown, paternalistic leadership – which almost never made much sense – was long tolerated as part of business culture. Now, with a more traditionally feminine emphasis on relationships at work – collaboration, encouragement, diversity, etc. – that has changed. It’s the humanization and democratization of work that has resulted, for example, in Fortune’s “100 Best Companies to Work For,” quadrupling their rates of telecommuting in just one short decade. It’s good for the workers, and what’s good for the workers often times…well, you know.
In the long arc of workplace change, I wonder if we are still slow catching on – catching on to the shortcomings of some old models of leadership. We still seem rapt by the Alpha Males, for whom drives for sex and power irrationally take precedence over the long term welfare of the people they have campaigned to lead. I wonder will males adapt? Can we intentionally evolve? Or will the culture (led by the strong demands of women) simply realize that women are just more reliable – less distracted, contentious, egoistic, and (one of our dirty male secrets) less vindictive?
I’d love your feedback in any of three ways: 1. Answer a one-minute survey about women’s capability and advancement; 2. Hit the comments key below and weigh in. 3. Listen and call in this Saturday when we discuss the evolving roles of women at work on the Everyday Leadership show.
Say no to the dictator – whether within or without – and push for the humanization and democratization of work, as you
Lead with your best self,
Dan
This is a bit of an odd topic. In the world of business there is no room for emotion based decisions. Having said that I will offer up my facts. I am a woman, 29 years old. I have owned my own business for about 5 years. Being young and employing 70 people has been a challenge. The biggest was earning the respect I deserved. Partly because I was a woman but I believe mainly because of my age. My management team is older than me and in some cases by twice my age. Management is 50/50 male & female.
The women I employ make up about 65% and the men are about 35%. It is a direct result of the kind of business I have, this field is dominated by women. What I have noticed based on gender is that the women stick together as a team and work together. The men seem to fight each other more often, perhaps as a power move? If we generalize things this may be a surprising observation due to the fact that women are labeled as “katty, gossips & dramatic”. Could the cause for this not to be the case because I am a woman in charge? I’m not sure. I do believe it has some influence over the matter. As a woman I believe that when you discipline an employee you do need to build them back up. You will never get the outcome you desire from beating a dead horse. Could this be a grey area that men fall short in? Are they too tough? Again I am not sure as I am not a man.
Overall I feel women may never have the equality that they strive for. However they are not always deserving. A sense of entitlement doesn’t serve a good purpose to any person. One must earn it. I do not believe that just because of your sex or race you should be granted a position you are not qualified for. In many ways I feel that the democratic systems adopted by huge companies have led to their demise. I believe in democracy as long as the powers that be don’t abuse their power. I love this country & the rights we are granted. However if I could change one thing it would be the criteria to gain positions of power. Business people I feel are best equiped to run our country…man or woman.
Hi Dan,
I think your survey questions as to whether women will outnumber men in any managerial or CEO capacity should not be the objective. I found this difficult to respond to.
I feel that equality is the real solution to this discrimination problem and not to outnumber. That attitude just reverses the discrimination. Is not the answer to this problem simply equality in position, pay and respect, regardless of gender?
Well folks,
It just goes to show you that we do love to talk about gender! 0ne of life’s most fascinating topics. After reading the first 20 comments I just hope I’m not the only one reading them all, because the full picture is a full picture – way better than I can write in my self prescribed one-page RFL column and richer than what is fascinating data from a survey that had to be short!
Perhaps I should have written what I usually do when I write this type of column – written that I know I am generalizing. The ideal is ALWAYS always – by morality and sheer logic – to treat people equally. Treat people as individuals and not as members of any group. However, sometimes in order to free ourselves to do just that, we have to become aware of the filters – those our families, societies, even ancestors have baked into our conscious and unconscious minds. I’m kidding myself if I pretend I’m treating an African-American or a gay man in a color or gender-blind way, if my unconscious (and my community) have made me see them as “colored” or “homo” before I have even consciously thought. So, the point of generalizing is to become aware.
I’m surprised that some people seem shocked that women in general are more relational. As girls my 4 sisters nearly constantly talked about relationships – boys, girls, groups, small groups, etc. Boys were more about doing, acting, competing. Are they all that way, and all girls all relational? Of course not, but that is the general tendency.
I loved what Joni Golden wrote about the challenges an opportunities that we face culturally. I “grieved” for a father who, while facing death, had next to no emotional tools to talk, to cry, to rail against cancer’s sea of troubles. I feel blessed to live in a world of work that feels more “feminine” – as I experienced the feminine growing up – than masculine. I am glad my girls can be assertive if not aggressive and not scorned or marginalized for not “acting like a lady.”
I will work to share the data from the survey, because I sense it will be helpful to see what 700 or 800 people think – broken down some by gender and age. So we sense what’s out there.
I think it’s great – neither feminine nor masculine – to listen to the lyrics and the music (including the frustration, sadness, hope, and even a little anger with me and the ideas), as we ask how to be fully human, and fully male or fully female. What a great opportunity. The bottom line is to help everyone lead with their best self, as Katherine Crowley suggested, on the many issues that matter so much to us all.
Danmulhern
A very timely question. In the recently published “Womenomics”, Katty Kay of the BBC and Claire Shipman of Good Morning America examine this issue. It’s worth checking out!
Before the term Consensus Management was coined in the ’80’s, many educators referred to this style as Women’s Management.
This is good food for thought but:
– yikes dan- your male circle sound like knuckle draggers, ya really need to get out more.
i.e.
“I wonder will males adapt? Can we intentionally evolve? Or will the culture (led by the strong demands of women) simply realize that women are just more reliable – less distracted, contentious, egoistic, and (one of our dirty male secrets) less vindictive?”
I’m not sold that being a woman (or man) is synonymous with being a great leader. Leadership is a personal choice of making consistent prudent moments.
I’ve experienced both good and bad communicators/leaders of either gender. Obviously gender and personality traits exist but the individual is the most factor not plumbing.
Dan,
I’ve waited to respond to this, because, first of all, I do not want to appear sexist.
Did your wife put you up to this topic post!!?… 😉
Anyway, when I think of female leadership, I see immediately three glaring examples;
Nancy Pelosi…..egregious at best. Tells us we must lessen our carbon footprint, yet flies a 757 akin to Air Force 1 back and forth to San Francisco WEEKLY. She is absolutely part of the problem, not the solution.
Rep. Waters, an African-American legislator from SoCal. She is dumber than her constituents, in my unabashed opinion (I’m absolutely not a racist) and must have gotten the job through affirmative action principles with promises of expansive welfare programs.
ex-governor Palin……thank God she is not the current VP…..
that said, when is the real change going to start happening?….the fiscal conservative mindset, elimination of lobbyist influence peddling, et al. When will Barney Franks and Chris Dodd be held accountable for the mortgage/banking crisis? There is so much wrong in Washington, and it is not related to gender. I am looking forward to seeing 2010 come around, so we can vote the monopoly out of power, before the USA becomes the USSA…..yielding to the one world currency and one world order.