Search

Are a female packaging executive? Want to give your boss something a little more trenchant than a coffee mug? Try treating him to a copy of 'They Talk the Talk, [...]

Women in mid- and top-management positions have many of the same problems that men have, but women also have additional stressors that are peculiar to them, and some of the ways in which men can relieve stress are closed to women. Men tend to react to stress by becoming aggressive and impulsive, while women reacting to stress tend to withdraw and suffer lower self-esteem. The level of job stress experienced by men and women is influenced by the types of stereotypes, socialization and discrimination that they are exposed to. Stressors which are unique to women include: being a 'token' woman; differing demands of family and career; feelings of isolation; and differences in power compared to male equivalents., Stress and the Woman Manager America's workforce includes approximately 43 million women. While only six percent of these women are classified as middle managers, and only one percent have achieved [...]

Exploration is offered of the chance that encouraging women to act more dominantly in leadership positions could undermine rather than increase their effectiveness. A total of 188 graduate business school students participated in role-plating during two terms. Results suggest that women who implement a dominant approach are somewhat less influential overall than those who use a considerate, problem-solving technique, and much less influential when supervising males, rather than mixed-sex subordinates. Women who serve in subordinate roles tend to rate dominant female supervisors somewhat more highly than considerate ones. Female subordinates were found, however, to dislike their female supervisors more than men, and made negative judgements about them no matter what management approach was used. It is suggested that women seeking to be effective leaders should be encouraged to act considerately and build their participative management skills rather than act more like men.

Women in business who hope to move into management have to deal with certain 'initiation rites' such as: finding a method of gaining entry, by securing a management position; establishing their credibility, by showing that they are worthy of being part of the management group; and juggling their gender identity, in situations such as meeting strangers who assume they are secretaries. Sixty-seven women managers were surveyed in Paris, France and in Montreal, Toronto, and Calgary, Canada in order to learn of their personal experiences in dealing with problems unique to women in management. Of the 67, 46 were professionals and 21 were self-made women. All the women were employed in a variety of industries. The process of incorporating women into management is analyzed, outlining the problems of the women and the organizations and suggesting methods of organizational change.

Women face some forms of job stress that seldom occur for men. Causes of stress unique to women include: socialization problems, sex-role conflicts, family pressures, hormonal cycles, sex-typing, and sex discrimination. Job stress among women is discussed in each of these unique causal areas. Most job stress experienced by both men and women originates from: organization policies and hierarchical problems; job duties and responsibilities; and personal characteristics. Twenty-two methods for relieving job stress are identified, including: accepting the equality of women in the workplace; maintaining work relationships that do not focus on sexual aspects; implementing flexible scheduling; equalizing promotional opportunities; eliminating male-only practices in the workplace; and encouraging women to form support groups.

'Type E' women executives are those who try to be Everything to Everyone. The Type E working woman feels insecure and strives to believe in her personal worth, as she meets the demands of home and workplace. The increased number of women managers has stimulated research on women's responses to job stress and how these are similar to responses by male counterparts. The 'Type A' pattern often identified in men includes aggressive, competitive, and restless behavior, which can reduce productivity and lead to health problems. Women do demonstrate the aggressiveness associated with Type A patterns, but tend to exhibit such behavior later in life than do men. Type A behavior in women is caused by conflicts between expected and actual female attributes and behavior. The Type E response represents a combination of Type A and non-Type A (also known as Type B) behavior.

Family-owned businesses can create stress in family relationships, especially for women who are generally subordinates in the business and shoulder most of the family responsibilities. Historically, family business succession plans rarely included daughters, although this is changing. Women in business and women in family businesses should network to discuss their problems related to conflicts of career and family.

Who: Antoinette Clarke, director, branded entertainment & media innovation, CBS/The Talk * Prework energizer: Meditation for 20 minutes 'My mind is always racing, so I focus on my breathing, what [...]

'Turning a pension scheme around is like turning an oil tanker around.' Paul Charles, Diageo's UK pensions administration manager, relates the vagaries of slow moving ships, which like occupation pensions, [...]

Hands up those of you who, like me, think that it is still challenging for females in the leisure and hospitality sectors to climb the career ladder. I can imagine […]