It is undeniable that in the business world, the expectations of women are much stronger than on men. But it is where these expectations come from that is the interesting point.
You would think women would be more supportive of one another, band together, be more understanding and forgiving. But in reality we place more expectations upon each other than men do.
There is a vast chasm between what women expect from their female bosses and what they expect from male bosses. This increases expectations of women by society.
They expect to be treated differently by each gender, perhaps believing ⎯ and sometimes correctly ⎯ it will be easier for them to get the result they want from another woman than a man. Largely this view is seeded by the notion of being able to better relate with other women than with men.
How women approach discussions about flexibility, pay rises and a range of other business issues is dependent on whether their boss is male or female.
If they approach a female boss about an issue, a woman will often feel comfortable continuing the conversation for as long as they feel is needed in order to get to the solution they want.
But, if their boss is male they are less likely to overstep any perceived time restrictions or boundaries.
Also, when women have a female boss, sometimes they let their emotions enter into the workplace. Because they know how women work, they feel comfortable allowing the emotions to come into play. And some women will even try to use them to ‘play’ a situation.
If they were dealing with a male boss they would be completely different, instead being much more straightforward no matter the issue.
When dealing with each other, it is in women’s nature to want to want to develop relationships. Generally, women like to avoid offending, and would rather have a friendship they can also build on in business as opposed to a formal business relationship.
Your job as a woman in power will include finding the line between using such expectations to your own advantage, and not being taken advantage of.
Tips to close the (expectations of women) gender gap
1. Keep your relationships with employees professional. Don’t befriend them, or hire your friends ⎯ or family.
2. You don’t need to be unfeminine but you do need to be firm. This may sound somewhat difficult, but it doesn’t have to be.
3. All you have to do is ensure the way you deal with your employees remains the same; their gender shouldn’t determine how you treat them.
4. Don’t give a woman an hour of your time if you would only give a man 10 minutes for the same topic. And don’t ask an hour of a woman’s time, if you would only ask 10 minutes of a man.
