Why do we hate us? Women prefer working for men, study says
Don't these people look happy?
I shouldn't touch this poll with a 10-foot pole, but I just can't help myself.
According to a study recently reported in the ABA Journal, a large percentage of legal assistants prefer working for men (35 percent for male partners, and 15 percent for male associates), and 47 percent had no preference. For those of you who are math-challenged,
35 + 15 + 47 = 97 percent.
100 - 97 = 3 percent.
Yes, that leaves 3 percent. Only 3 percent preferred working for a woman, and she had to be an associate. No one preferred working for a female partner.
I am sure that none of this applies to me, so I was able to read the comments in a very unemotional, non-detail-oriented, manner -- almost as if I were a guy. According to the assistants who were surveyed, women are too emotional, too detail-oriented, demeaning to clerical employees, have too much to prove, and -- don't need their assistants enough. (That last one cracked me up.)
The professor who conducted the study was quick to point out that the assistants' own sex biases may be playing a role in this. She also noted that male partners are still in charge, and that female lawyers do still sometimes have to "prove" themselves in a way that male lawyers do not.
At the same time, I would not be surprised if some fundamental differences between men and women contributed to (caused?) this result.
OK, I'm shutting up now. What do you think? No need to restrict yourself to the legal profession. Do you think that men and women generally prefer working for men, and why do you think that is?
NOTE TO MY ASSISTANT: If you decide to comment, please be sure to say I am the most awesome boss you ever had, notwithstanding my gender! :-)
Comments (3)
Read through and enter the discussion by using the form at the endCori Zuppo - October 28, 2011 10:12 PM
Analogously, my personal opinion and experiences align with the results. For me it is a given. But, there are exceptions and those female bosses have been exemplary. Meh. It is what it is so deal regardless, right? In the last 5-7 years I have been very fortunate and I've never minded the rigor; in fact it's made me better. I got game, and so do you. Cool. Let's solve some problems. Anything else is just noise.
Alex - November 4, 2011 3:00 PM
That was funny! I have a female friend that is a partner at a law firm and twittered this. So, I am not in the legal profession, but was a teacher for 10 years in 3 different states. I had 1 director (female), 2 principals (one female and one male), and was under 3 different vice-principals (2 female and 1 male) during those years. I also had a female boss for a 6 month period in another career field. I'm afraid I would definitely be included in the group that prefers men. The men were not as consistently prone to micro-manager and offered constructive criticism with an attitude of I really want to encourage you to be the best you can be. Several of the females gave all of us a hard time and a reputation among the staff as being cold and controlling. There were 2 women out of all that I did enjoy, but one was flighty and later found guilty for mis-appropriation of funds. So she wasn't a micromanager and I enjoyed her, but she wasn't a great example for the study either. So it's not just the legal field that feels this way I guess. Very interesting article...
pam - December 20, 2011 6:29 PM
Fpr consideration on this; is is possible the females that tend to make leadership roles are of a 'certain brain hardwiring type' (eg Keirsey Temperaments), and because they are more of the tougher minded temperament, 'and' we possibly generalise/stereotype females to be 'caring' sharing' people, when the reality hits, we go, uh oh, I'd rather work for him!
So we may well have females that are simply of natural born temeprament to that of male managers/leaders (in some cases), but it reflects upon more our generalised held perceptions, beliefs?
For example, Margaret Thatcher's leadership, Angela Merkel's copping flack from Nicolas Sarkozy ...when society's expectation of women does not meet the reality of 'just people in fact being themselves, 'people collective' not some divided down the gender path, we tend to blame the woman.'She is difficult to work for'. 'Micro manages', is 'thankless'-yet these are traits in any gender.
I suspect we have just done a super conditioning effect on ourselves, instead of realising 'temperament matters' and often women are just being their temperament or working (paddling) harder to make their way.