Since I manage two women directly and work with many others, a co-worker sent me this article, which gives advice on how to mentor one’s female employees.
After reading it, though, I feel as though it wasn’t necessary to send me the article. I am already following most of its advice. For example:
“Be frank. Many male managers feel uncomfortable talking to a female employee about issues like dress code, but don’t back away from it.” This is so true! But I have no fear of addressing the issue head on. I often pass by my female employees and say “Hey, babe, this ain’t no truckstop. Dress for success not to be undressed, capiche?”
“Don’t worry about her crying.” What wonderfully non-sexist advice! But of course, I don’t worry about her crying at all. I do sort of become concerned when she clutches at my leg and refuses to let me walk out the door, though. Sometimes I’ve found myself stuck in one place for hours.
“Let her make decisions about her career.” For the longest time I wasn’t doing that! But then I said “Okay, go ahead, let’s see what you can do.” And much to my surprise, they totally did fine! But I’m glad this article made that point, because maybe other readers wouldn’t be doing that! Listen, other managers, I’m here to tell you: let your female employees make decisions about their careers. And also, walk them once a day so they get enough exercise.
“Help women develop the relationships that they need to get ahead.” Oh boy do I! I just hope Corporate HR doesn’t find out about it.
Anyway, I think it was a good article but completely wasted on me. I wish people would send me management articles that I can actually use--such as “How to Bypass the Company’s Blacklist so I Can Access MySpace.”
I used to use this to bypass the blacklist. Since you have a site, you could install it on yours.
http://www.jmarshall.com/tools/cgiproxy/
wow! that article is almost as good as the advice i recently read by a columnist on yahoo.com who told women that unless their physical safety was at risk, reporting sexual harassment is a bad idea and would only hurt their career. and it was written by a woman. omfg.
good thing people are okay with me crying at work.
I really cannot believe that is a real article published just yesterday in the year two thousand and SEVEN. Horrifying.
That article turns on its head all the stuff that came out twenty years ago saying that women tended to focus on relationships (as a result of their supposed nurturing characteristics) while men focused on the technical aspects of their work. The advice then was to tell men to pay attention to human interaction and for women to pay more attention to hours worked, and technical expertise or job related knowledge competence.
I think that such opposite advice suggests the whole thing is BS
I cry every day at work and it has not hurt me one bit because my male bosses are all such good mentors. They really care.
I manage two women too. One of them is about to retire and wants more money. The other one just started her career and wants more money. I am not sure but I think that the best way to manage them might be to get them more money.
But that’s just me being frank again. I’m sorry if it makes you cry. Here have a tissue.
If you really want a woman to succeed, teach her how to play golf.
Heh..yeah, that article seemed pretty useless. Yours was much better.
How about, How to Survive Mentorship By a Crazy Female Boss? That’s my problem.