As spotted by Above the Law, the May issue of American Lawyer contains an article titled "The End of Sisterhood." The article surmises that beneath women lawyers' supposed unity in fighting for gender equality and helping each other succeed, there is a tension and acrimony that actually makes other women the "worst tormentors" in the workplace.
Citing statistics from studies showing women prefer male bosses, the article suggests several reasons why female supervisors are getting bad evaluations from their women subordinates. First, expectations: women expect other women to be more empathetic, and when women supervisors are tough, there is a sense of betrayal. Second, generational differences: women from generations that went through enormous personal struggle to achieve their status may feel like the next generation should also pay their dues. Third, basic competition: women who have found a unique niche in the workplace don't want others infringing on their territory.
These are not new notions, and it seems simplistic to say that competition between women is a sign that we don't support other women doing well in the workplace.
Citing statistics from studies showing women prefer male bosses, the article suggests several reasons why female supervisors are getting bad evaluations from their women subordinates. First, expectations: women expect other women to be more empathetic, and when women supervisors are tough, there is a sense of betrayal. Second, generational differences: women from generations that went through enormous personal struggle to achieve their status may feel like the next generation should also pay their dues. Third, basic competition: women who have found a unique niche in the workplace don't want others infringing on their territory.
These are not new notions, and it seems simplistic to say that competition between women is a sign that we don't support other women doing well in the workplace.
But the article does highlight one important point: women need help in depersonalizing conflict. Women have been found to internalize criticism more than men, and perhaps the article correctly notes that criticism from other women is taken even harder now that there is more purposeful effort to make sure women in the workplace connect. Maybe another part of the problem is lack of empathy from women subordinates--even women in leadership positions are constantly learning and navigating new situations in their jobs.
No comments:
Post a Comment