Copyright © 2008 Ed Bagley
Female executives who are bold and aggressive do not rise
up the corporate ladder as quickly as you may think. Bold
and aggressive traits do not naturally match well with
intelligence and savvy. Given the fact that there are many
more male executives than female executives, being bold and
aggressive gets fewer promotions on the way up.
Female executives who use a self-confident but much softer,
indirect approach do not highlight or reinforce any
pre-conceived notions that they might be too bold, too
aggressive or too judgmental for a higher position.
Remember that men, and especially male executives, do not
like aggressive, judgmental women (it may even remind them
of their wife in some cases). The expression is: Behind
every successful man is a strong and cooperating woman, and
we surely do hope it is his wife because too often it is
his mistress.
Men like women who are assertive but not aggressive. A man
sees an intelligent, assertive woman as completing him, not
challenging him. Remember that men do not know how to
handle aggressive women, they do not have any centuries-old
database other than that the man leads, the woman follows.
Their ego does not allow them to treat aggressive women any
differently than men.
If they perceive that you are aggressive, they will treat
you as they do men, they will rip out your jugular vein and
walk over you to the next corporate competitor in the
boardroom. Here are some things to consider:
First, female executives should never, under any
circumstances, devalue any core competencies of a male
executive. Try to reinforce any good trait that a male
executive has that you have. Why? Because he
psychologically cannot deny himself. If he is
detail-oriented and you are detail-oriented, and he
criticizes you for being so, he is criticizing himself
during the process. Male executives who are smart and
successful will not criticize you in this circumstance. He
will rather like you for being so as well.
Second, if the male executive has weak people skills, make
it your business to bring a wonderful (not challenging but
supporting), uplifting, positive presence to his office. In
other words, COMPLEMENT his weakness, just as he would want
his spouse to do.
Some guys are perceived as a man's man, like Arnold
Schwarzenegger and Howie Long. They ooze macho. They are
good guys, nice guys, but if you even think about testing
them, they will knock you on your backside. You know better
than to even try. Their image is secure and intact.
There are some male executives who appear secure and smart
in what they are doing, but they cannot handle harsh
criticism or ANY criticism. Their ego is that fragile. If
you criticize them harshly and embarrass them in the
process, they will quietly quit what they are doing and
find a reason to go elsewhere. Schwarzenegger and Long will
see to it that your face gets messed up as they move on
WITHOUT you.
It is wise to know the difference between these two types
of male executives.
Just as in writing resumes, female executives who get to
the top of the corporate world know it is not so much what
they say, but how they say what they say that counts most.
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Read my 4-part series on Job Interviews: "It Is Not What
You Say, But How You Say It That Counts ' Part 1", "How to
Answer When Asked Your Strengths and Weaknesses ' Part 2",
"How to Handle Job References ' Part 3" and "What Do
Employers Really Want When Hiring? ' Part 4".
Find my Blog at:
http://www.edbagleyblog.com
http://www.edbagleyblog.com/JobsandCareers.html
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