Do Men Make Better Bosses than Women? 

I am all for women's empowerment and breaking the “glass ceiling”. I always believed that women are capable of being great leaders. After working in office for over six years, I have started to question whether or not a men make better bosses than women. My experience at my job today made me really question whether or not a men make better bosses than women. Unfortunately, I came to the conclusion that sometimes it is best for a man to be in certain leadership roles rather than women.  It is hard for me to say it, but it is true.  Why can’t women get along?

It's a shame that women can’t get along or stick together in the workplace. Women have more opportunities in the workplace than ever before, but we have to stick together in order to disprove stereotypes about women. Stereotypes about women can hinder our progress.

Top Four Stereotypes About Women and Leadership

1.  Women are "too emotional":  It interesting that I list this statement, but it is the one of the top reasons why women don’t get promoted. When you are in the workplace, people, including your supervisors, pay attention to how you react to certain situations or any situation.  You don’t get promoted solely based on work performance. You get promoted based upon on work performance, how well you work with your co-workers, and how well you handle problems at work. You don’t want the reputation that you can’t get along with other people.

2.  Women are too “caddy”. Okay, I can’t really explain away this statement. We are caddy. Some women are more caddy than other women, and working in an office with more women than men increases the “caddiness” in the office. Why are women so “caddy”?  Just like men, women are competitive, but women show their competiveness by “tearing down” the other woman or the “threat” in the office. Who is the other woman? The other woman is the “threat” in the office. This woman may be smarter, prettier, or perceived as more favorable to upper management.   

Everyone wants to be at the top, and the person who wants to be at the top will do anything to anyone so they can remain where they are. If you find yourself in this position, don’t let them see you become angry or show inappropriate behavior in the workplace.  “Caddy” behavior will eventually be revealed in the office for what it is - So long as you do not engage.  It is best to the bigger person and show them that their actions can’t affect you or your work performance.

3.    Too Many Hens and Not Enough Roosters. Too many women and not enough men in the workplace can be a disaster. Women, meaning insecure women, generally seek attention from anywhere they can get it.  For most women, they seek attention from men in the workplace, so the next time you go to work, pay attention. I work in office in which there are a handful of men in the office. Most of the female employees who work in a different section go to the men in my section for attention and respect the men more than the women.  The men are more professional, willing to work with them on projects, and share information. Don’t take it personally if a woman treats you differently from a man. Their behavior lets you know that they are having a tough time balancing their emotions, so it's not a reflection on your character.  Rather, it's a reflection on their character.

4.    Women Bring Their Personal Issues To Work. The key to working and succeeding in corporate America is having the ability to not bring your personal life into the workplace. If you can’t handle problems in your personal life than you can’t appropriately handle problems in the workplace.  People with personal issues may lash out and harm other co-workers.  This type of behavior includes nasty glares and people rolling their eyes at you.  The most common negative behavior is when your co-workers don’t speak to - The "Silent Treatment".  Don’t worry. Just keep speaking to them if you need to communicate something, and let them continue to make their own behavior obvious.  Do not respond with negative behavior.

Now, not all women possess these characteristics, but these are the most common stereotypes that hinder women from taking leadership roles in the work-place. I very rarely see men fighting over women in the workplace or men competing for a woman’s attention.  The best way for a woman to overcome these stereotypes is to check their behavior and make a positive change.

Appearance is everything. You can deflect this negative behavior by continuously being pleasant and professional to people who are not pleasant you. Remember, you never know who is watching you. 

- Heather Browning, MBA, BA