
Women at work – a guide for men - lambtron
http://www.wsj.com/articles/women-at-work-a-guide-for-men-1418418595
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paulhauggis
"I’ve been at countless meetings at various news organizations where a male
editor, suggesting a story idea, loudly declares something like: “We need a
piece on the drop in gas prices!” A woman, making the same point, might ask
hesitantly: “Has anyone noticed that gas prices are falling? Do we know why?”"

Why the special treatment for women? If a man said it, they might get ignored
too. Why? The first person was making a statement and being assertive (and
confident about their belief). The second person (who just happens to be a
woman) sounds like they are unsure of their opinion..and most people will not
follow it.

“One of the things they can do in meetings is ask us, ‘What do you think?’ And
include us.”

I've been in many meetings with men and women. The people that lead and are
confident are followed. I have been ignored at times because I wasn't
confident about my own opinion.

"Carl Allegretti, chairman and CEO of Deloitte Tax LLP, says that when he
chose a woman to succeed him in a senior post a few years ago, her response
was, “Why me?” He explained that “you’re an excellent leader, you’re excellent
with people, and you’re excellent with clients,” he says. “But she didn’t
raise her hand.”"

The same happens with men.

"that they are treated as if they don’t know what they are talking about until
they prove otherwise."

Welcome to life: Nobody in the corporate world will respect you (unless you
are the president) until you can prove your worth.

"One potential land mine: saying to a colleague who’s a mother, “You’ve got
two little kids? How do you do it?”"

How is this a "land mine"? Raising kids is extremely difficult without
working..and even more so while working full-time.

"Female leaders are more likely to try for collaboration, treating others as
equals and checking in frequently."

Micromanagement is not a good thing and most people don't like it.

Everything in this article tells me that men and women are being treated
equally. Women are finally waking up to things that men have had to endure in
the workplace for many, many years.

The takeaway is that if you are not assertive and confident, you will be most
likely be ignored and you may not get a promotion.

~~~
jacalata
You're right, the article would have been more complete if it had explained
the widely acknowledged ways in which women get judged differently from men
when they try and act more assertive and confident. I guess it thought it was
aimed at an audience who were already aware of that, but that does seem a bit
of a stretch for a mainstream newspaper like the WSJ.

