What Do Men Have That Women Don't?

What do men have that women don't? What are the pros and cons of being a female in business?

Dynamics in business have changed over the last few decades for women. For years the business world has been run by men alone and to this day some of the same old habits die hard. Yes, women have come further with each passing year but we still remain in the shadows. A great example of some of the stepping stones pertaining to women and business are portrayed in the movie “Nine to Five”. (Watch a great clip below)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QNnRamMk7xo

With my interest being in business I would like to know more about why or how this has not leveled out more in such a progressive field. Reading several articles and Sheryl Sandberg’s “Lean In,” I have come to think that it may be the networking support for men that is different than for women, and whether this is an organizational and/or individual factor, I don’t know, so I reached for a peer-review article for further enlightenment. In avoidance of limiting myself through this research, I think this is a great place to start.

I found “Barriers to Mentoring: the Female Manager’s Dilemma” written by Belle Rose Ragins at Marquette University. Her aim is to address the difference in how quickly men move up through an organization vs. their female counter-part. Ragins addresses gender differences in mentoring functions, what men do differently than women to obtain such connections, and future areas of interest pertaining to these matters.

People in general I think are creatures of habit. With that being said, I wonder if this will be a dissipating issue as younger generations from broken homes or different teachings find roles in management. You figure children from broken homes usually grew up with a different perspective of women. The mother was probably the main care giver, worker, maid, teacher, etc. which changes people’s point of view now-a-days vs. lets say people who grew up in the 50’s or 60’s because their upbringings were very different.

Obtaining a mentor for a woman can be crucial for advancement in her career, not that it does not hold any value to men but women tend to be overlooked more often. Whether this discrimination is blatantly, secretly, or unmindfully done it still happens.

Ragins looks at this problem and brings it to our attention with studies, and statistics mostly with an addition to logical thinking and experience. She finds that women are not perceived as “bona fide equals” and are therefore overlooked for protégée opportunities.

I would like to look into this matter further to see how it has progressed recently or if it has remained stagnant for a period of time with no further progression of equality. Some questions I would like to look into are:

-Is this an issue because of generational differences?

-Will it dissolve itself as older generations retire?

-Are women to blame for not communicating properly their desire for advancement in pay and/or position?

- Or are women not confident enough in themselves that they do not think they are as deserving as their male counter-part?

http://hum.sagepub.com/content/42/1/1.full.pdf+html

Networking and Mentors

Can you do it alone? Do you need help? How important is networking?

I have been reading a lot of material lately about women and mentors. This subject interests me particularly because I am a woman going into business. As a woman with experience in different fields, I have come to the realization that most women, including myself, second guess themselves, are timid when doing business with their male-counter parts and do not know how to ask for a raise. This is where mentoring comes in handy. Mentoring creates confidence, advice, and knowledge on how to mold your career. This is a topic I would like to research further over the next few months, to see how beneficial this is to potential leaders in the management field, if a mentor is worth seeking and/or how this helps the morale of the business itself.

http://www.womenonbusiness.com/need-female-mentor/

The World Today

Greed and entitlement is our one way ticket to hell in a hand basket. With everyone being so self-absorbed, no one even notices the steady path we are on. I think MLK would be ashamed of the society we live in today. He had a dream that everyone would be equal and sit in brotherhood. Yes segregation has ended but his dream still has not come full circle. I am not saying that everyone will be financially equal or that discrimination doesn’t exist but that work and persistence is absent, the concept of love thy neighbor has been aborted and have been replaced with the mentality of what more can I get by any means necessary. There is an elephant in the room that needs to be addressed for our country and society’s sake. This elephant is political correctness, free-trade agreements, and inflated compensation for modern day pirates. Reform of policies is a must to correct the path we are on. Without a change in policies the rich will continue to get richer and the poor will get poorer. How many of our standards and values are we going to abandon at the expense of political correctness? How much longer are we going to abandon our blue collar workers by allowing our jobs to be shipped to other countries? How much longer are we going to follow our government blindly down this path of mutilation?

In 2 Chronicles 7:14 it is written “If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land”

http://www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/mlkihaveadream.htm

What Am I Getting Myself Into?

I know I’m not the only one who has ended up with all the responsibility at work and not had the pay to match. Circumstances like this is part of what fuels my concentration in business management. I have been reading several blogs with the intentions of familiarizing myself with the ideological business atmosphere. Furthermore, to gain insight of what I am getting myself into.

I read How to Get Management Experience When You Aren't a Manager, by Brian Brookshire. Brian speaks about one having management experience even though one may never have had the official title of manager. I truly enjoyed this article, mostly because I could relate to it. In every job I have had or have (and I emphasize every) I have trained new staff, ran shifts in my boss’ absence, and carried out end of shift procedures that normally a “manager” would do. Aside from actual duties one might have, I have also redesigned typical procedures or layouts of companies I have worked for to be more efficient. When reading Brian’s article I confirmed that I do have manager experience, I just never had the title or pay. I feel this is important to identify because I know I am not the only one who may have second guessed myself. I have heard several times that you actually learn a job on the job not beforehand. In other words schooling isn't everything, yes it helps, but you still get a handle of your job once you start because not everyplace or position is the same. My best advice is do not limit yourself to what you are familiar or secure with, broaden your horizon and just go for it.

http://blog.brazencareerist.com/2009/03/27/how-to-get-management-experience-when-you-arent-a-manager/

                Another article I read was, 2 Pivotal Steps Women Must Take to Get Ahead in the Business World by Anett Grant. I found this interesting for the simple reason of avoiding “paying dues” at a new company. If I can get on the fast track of where I want to go because I earned it, why not? Although the advice given was not the first time I had heard it, I can definitely appreciate it. The blog post talks about building professional relationships with key members of the company. Some of this I think is common sense and have used these tactics in previous positions as a bartender myself (very cut throat industry), but not everyone has common sense and or the experiences I have had. On the other hand there are also points that I had not thought of, like needing more than one person to contribute to a nomination for a promotion. Another point this article discusses is recognizing your accomplishments properly. With companies being so large and having tons of employees these tactics can definitely divide you from the herd.

http://www.womenonbusiness.com/2-pivotal-steps-women-must-take-get-ahead-business-world/

                The last blog I want to discuss is Natalie Macneil’s, Set Yourself Apart: Creating a Personal Brand When You’re Running a Business. “One of the main things I appreciated about this article is her promotion to be unique. Natalie states “I believe business owners should inject their own personalities and personal brand attributes into their businesses. Your personality and your story can really set you apart – after all, you’re the only YOU on this planet.” With so many businesses out there, how do you set yourself apart from others? I love her statement, you’re the only you on this planet. With technology and everything advancing so quickly, I feel uniqueness and individuality are being diminished. People are losing their sense of creativity and individualism. Individualism is what makes us special and draws people to us in the first place, why not incorporate that into your business as well? When I bartended I incorporated my true self into my work, which gave my patrons a sense of connection to me. Ultimately this created a unique and loyal familiarity time after time again. I created a steady customer base off of this concept.

http://www.shetakesontheworld.com/2014/07/set-yourself-apart-creating-a-personal-brand-when-youre-running-a-business/

My Un-single Story

Have you ever recalled a moment where you have assumed a perception of somebody until you have actually met them and realize you were completely wrong? I know I have.

 I watched this inspiring video of the “single story.” Up until recently I have never heard of the concept. What is the single story? Watching a TED Talk given by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, she spoke about the “single story." If you have not seen it you should watch it, her words are intellectually escalating. Adichie discusses that “the single story is the single perception of a people based on what you hear,” that if you see or hear about a type of people as one thing, and only one thing, that is the only thing they become to you. In promoting the single story the similarities in humanity are blocked by the differences that flood our perception of a type of people. Everyone is guilty of basing conclusions of people from areas they are unfamiliar with based on what they read, hear or watch, as the good old saying goes “don’t judge a book by its cover.” Take Detroit for instance, not all areas are horrible or unsafe. I am from Detroit and my neighborhood is nothing like the news stories aired. To someone who has never been to Detroit to see all the beauty it holds, they only have the perception of hell on Earth.

My name is Susie and here is my “un-single story.” I grew up in a suburban neighborhood right outside of Detroit. Some say I grew up on both sides of the track, to tell you the truth I have to agree with them. I am grateful for this though, as I have obtained a widely diverse upbringing full of wonderful memories, good times, and great friends and family.

 My mother comes from a large musical family, picture the Brady Bunch meets Partridge Family. Family gatherings are always interesting and fun. Most holidays are laced with instruments, games, puzzles, storytelling and singing, not just carols either, I’m talking Beetles, Hall and Oats… all the good stuff. I wouldn't trade any of those moments for anything.

I went to school with all sorts of kids. I didn’t care if you were a jock, stoner, roughneck, bookworm, or a gleek (for lack of a better term), I talked to them all, even the smelly and awkward kids. School wasn't my only source of meeting people. I met a ton from surrounding cities at a nearby skating rink, the dance studio I attended and choir (both school and church). Yes, I am a rink rat, a bun head and a choir geek. Over the years I made friends from several cities and states, all unique in their own way, with different cultures, hobbies, and interests, which I still see and talk to on a regular basis.

 I enjoyed the rink so much that I got a job there when I was 14, which I held for two whole years. Since then, I have been employed at a few different places, in different jobs. One of my most favorite was bartending. I got to meet new people every day and it was a fast paced environment that suited my need to keep busy. Sometimes listening to people made me feel like an under paid therapist, however, listening to great music at work was a bonus. I did my job, I did it well, and I truly enjoyed it.

When you know a vast amount of people things happen more often than not, including funerals. I attended my first non-family member funeral when I was 11 years old. Since then I have attended at least one funeral per year, almost all of which never saw the age of 30, some tragic accidents, others illness, habits or murders. I’m not telling you this for a pity party, but to give you a full understanding of my life experience. Life experiences contain good as well as bad. Yes I grew up in Detroit, yes I had a highly diverse group of friends (still do), and yes I came from a warm loving family. All of these experiences are not typical, but what is typical? Just because I hung out on both sides of the track does not mean I sell drugs, run with gangs and shoot houses up, however, I do have two Pit Bulls that don’t fit their stereotype either. To tell you the truth I am a well-rounded person who would give you the shirt off of my back, offer you my home, and be there to help whenever. I have learned so much from the people I have met and the things I have experienced. I have been a therapist, a rock, and a sister to many, as they have been to me.

This is my un-“single story”. Life gives you experiences, choices, learning lessons, and opportunity but most of all joy. Joy in being a daughter, sister, aunt, skater, dancer, singer, provider, student, worker, life-long friend, care taker, girlfriend, fiancée, bartender, and being the best that I can be.

http://www.ted.com/talks/chimamanda_adichie_the_danger_of_a_single_story?language=en