An excerpt:
"Forget
the sisterhood. Forget smashing a hole through the glass ceiling and
throwing a rope ladder down to her younger female colleagues. The Queen
Bee is alive and well and — watch out — possibly sitting at the desk
next to you.
‘A Queen Bee is someone who
has worked her way up to the top in a male-dominated organisation, and
she’s probably got there by behaving how a man would behave — appearing
tough and not at all soft and mushy,’ says psychologist Professor Cary
Cooper, of the Lancaster University Management School.
‘She’s unlikely to mentor younger women because she quite likes her unique position, and may feel threatened by younger females rising up the ranks.
‘She had to work hard to get to where she is, so she’s not about to give other women a helping hand — they have to work their way up just as she did.'"
It's fascinating (or depressing, whichever way you interpret the article) that women may not be as helpful with their women colleagues. I can only speak from my experience, and I've had positive female role models; in one particular job, I became great friends with my female co-workers, which now after reading the above article, I feel grateful for!
I wonder if it depends on what field you're in - if it's competitive - as in The Devil Wears Prada. If you're always eyeing the person next to you because you're afraid she's going to get the next promotion, that can create an unhealthy work environment, and definitely not help a friendship. There's a difference between healthy competition and cut-throat, conniving and manipulative competition.
What has been your experience working with and/or for women? Do you prefer having a male or female boss? Have you worked with a "Queen Bee"?
‘She’s unlikely to mentor younger women because she quite likes her unique position, and may feel threatened by younger females rising up the ranks.
‘She had to work hard to get to where she is, so she’s not about to give other women a helping hand — they have to work their way up just as she did.'"
It's fascinating (or depressing, whichever way you interpret the article) that women may not be as helpful with their women colleagues. I can only speak from my experience, and I've had positive female role models; in one particular job, I became great friends with my female co-workers, which now after reading the above article, I feel grateful for!
I wonder if it depends on what field you're in - if it's competitive - as in The Devil Wears Prada. If you're always eyeing the person next to you because you're afraid she's going to get the next promotion, that can create an unhealthy work environment, and definitely not help a friendship. There's a difference between healthy competition and cut-throat, conniving and manipulative competition.
What has been your experience working with and/or for women? Do you prefer having a male or female boss? Have you worked with a "Queen Bee"?
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