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Is There Room for Emotions in the Workplace? - Knowledge@Emory

I’d like to get some opinions on this article…because I think that even though women have made great strides in the workplace in the last thirty years, we still have an uphill battle. Sadly, I’ve seen this in my current job and in past jobs…and I expect to encounter it to an even greater degree after I finish…well, my degree.

It has been very easy for me not to take on the “mom” role on the job, because I’m not a mom. Of course, when the author is advising women not take on the “mom” role at work, they’re referring to the nurturing aspect of motherhood.

I was involved in an inter-departmental scuffle one time, and our boss actually told us we were all like her children and we needed to learn how to get along. That would be great, except I couldn’t kick the offending co-worker in the nuts like I could have if he were actually my sibling. Although I have viewed co-workers as petulant children, that’s from the perspective of a responsibility-taking adult, not a mom.

I particularly enjoyed the statement, “At the same time, she suggests it’s important to realize that taking credit is not “bragging.” - I am so guilty of this, I can’t even tell you. I don’t want to look like an egotistical jerk. Turns out, I instead probably come off as someone who isn’t confident of her abilities. Although…I am increasingly getting better at this.

I’ve found in my MBA classes that indeed, the men tend to dominate the discussion…especially in an online forum. In my research class last semester, while all the other women were basically asking permission and looking for team consensus before making a decision…I just made decisions. Too bad, so sad if you don’t like it…you should have stepped up first.

Neener neener.