Episode 69: Working with Other Women

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“Many women are shocked when their female boss is not nice to them. Whereas I don’t think they’d be as shocked when a male boss isn’t nice to them. ”
— Katherine Crowley

                                       Photo courtesy of US Marine corps archives

It's a cliché but it's true: many women dislike working with other women. They claim female bosses and colleagues undermine them, talk behind their backs, and generally make them miserable.

But what if you're part of the problem?

In this show we delve into the dynamics of female relationships, why they can be so antagonistic, and how you can help redress the balance. My guests are Katherine Crowley and Kathi Elster of K Squared Enterprises. They host their own podcast on the workplace, My Crazy Office. They're also the authors of Mean Girls At Work.

Katherine Crowley (l) and Kathi Elster

Katherine Crowley (l) and Kathi Elster

Thanks to Foreign Affairs magazine, which is sponsoring this episode of the show. Head to ForeignAffairs.com/broad to get a year's subscription for $19.95 - that's more than 80% off.

Further reading: A number of pieces like this one on a recent Columbia Business School study claim 'queen bee syndrome' is overblown.

This piece on yet another study suggests female supervisors are in fact more supportive of junior men than junior women - and pay them more.

This is an article on women's preference for working with men (but note it's a fairly small number of women who say they want this set-up).

You can also read a transcript of the show.

Episode 68: Introverts at the Office

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“Men have had the advantage to some degree of having that strong silent type, that label that is sometimes valued or seen as an attractive feature. And a quiet woman is automatically assumed to be shy. ”
— Beth Buelow
Photo by XiXinXing/iStock / Getty Images

Last year I released a show on authenticity at the office - how authentic, really, can women be at work, I asked? For many women the answer is 'not very.' That said, the conversations on that podcast revolved around being too big a personality for your workplace.

A few months later I met a friend for dinner. She mentioned how tough it was to fit in at her office because she was an introvert in a sea of extroverts. I'd never thought about that side of authenticity - when your personality isn't big enough for your colleagues' liking. That's what this show is about: When and how to adapt to an extrovert culture, and whether quiet women are losing out because others don't see them as leaders.

Beth Buelow

I have three guests this week. Beth Buelow is a strong advocate for introverts and their talents. She hosts The Introvert Entrepreneur podcast and is the author of The Introvert Entrepreneur: Amplify Your Strengths and Create Success on Your Own Terms. My other guests are Lisa Sonnier (a 'reformed introvert'), who talks about managing introverts, and Frieda Klotz, the introvert who got me thinking about all this in the first place.

As usual, I'd love to hear from you - if you have something you want to add to this discussion please comment below.

And if you're interested in supporting this one-woman show with a $50 donation, you will get a Broad Experience T-shirt in return. All details are right here. Thank you so much to those of you who've already signed up.

Finally, here's a transcript of the show.