I’ll never forget the first time a male colleague (a peer) asked me to pick up his stuff after a meeting. I was quick to set a boundary: “You brought this stuff into the meeting room, I’m sure you can bring it back to your office.” Needless to say, he didn’t ask twice. But not…
Women at Work
Why Collaboration Doesn’t Always Pay Off for Women
Nearly a decade ago, management consultancy McKinsey published a highly regarded white paper revealing that women outperformed men in five of nine key leadership behaviors. Three of those behaviors—people development, inspiration and participative decision making—have ties to collaboration. This research, among others, has formed the underpinnings of a narrative that gives a competitive career advantage…
Creating Positive Ripples for Women in Leadership
About a month ago, I got an email from my colleague and fellow Character-Based Leader co-author Jane Perdue. She wrote, “It’s always rewarding to see deserving women and persons of color—past and present—receive recognition for their contributions and accomplishments during Black and Women’s History Months. Yet . . . Do you ever wonder what women,…
Confessions of a Bossy Woman
Back in my college days, one of the requirements for my psychology degree was to complete a one-semester practicum out in the “real world”. I chose to work with three- and four-year olds in a daycare center. After about a month at the center, I had proven that I could work with the kids independently…