It’s been long thought that women don’t do well under pressure. But some recent research is looking at women and pressure much differently. There ARE ways women can outperform men when it comes to their emotional intelligence. Gender differences play a significant role in how we manage pressure in leadership positions. In this months Blog, I am summarizing the findings from a White Paper on Women Performing Under Pressure and attaching a link to the full article below.
For example, here is what a top level female leader that was part of the study had to say about increased pressure in the workplace:
“I sometimes feel like we have to emulate the mens role to get ahead. For instance, in contributing to an argumentative conversation, I find if I am not outwardly forceful, I am perceived as weak and unfairly judged. Ironically, if you use the same style as a man, you will be called controlling and ‘shrill’. There are simply more derogatory comments towards women leaders if they stand up and use their voice than there are for men. After a while this wears you down”.