A Different Way to Look at the Corporate "Pissing Contest"

Women get a bad name in Corporate America......or do they? During my years as an executive, I've noticed that successful women typically get labeled one way or another. It's completely understood and expected for men to be competitive, aggressive, direct and "cut throat" as they make deals, maneuver the board room and climb the corporate ladder -- we typically admire their success and their ability to maintain positions of power and influence. We joke that, occasionally, they find themselves in a "pissing contest" and laugh about which one comes to the party with bigger or better equipment - it's pretty straight forward - and it all seems normal. But what do we think of women who make their way to the top? Different words usually come to mind: bitch, hard core, ice queen, diva, power hungry, volatile, passive-aggressive, driven, emotional, clawing her way to the top.... and on and on it goes..... Personally, i think the corporate machine holds women to a different standard when it comes to power and leadership. It seems they get criticised for some of the same behaviors that their male counterparts are rewarded for and they have to work twice as hard to overcome the negative perceptions. With that said, i must say, that women don't do each other ANY favors in the workplace. You'd think that they would form their own "good old boys club," a support system or a sense of community in the office. NOT SO MUCH. In fact, their mode of operation is much more complicated and often more covert than the guys. While some of the same agendas and goals may exist, in my experience, female executives are much less direct about how they interface with their peers and each other. For example, while there's really only one measure for the boys pissing contest, there are many more subtle ways women can compete. At the moment, it's all about the shoes: who's got the biggest, baddest pair of Christian Louboutins. You may think I'm kidding. Next time you stroll around the c-suite, take a look....you'll notice there's more than one way to have a "big one" in the office. I'll keep you posted as the "measure" changes and, in the meantime, watch carefully as the executives in your company find new and different ways to compete!