I’m examining the various complications Christian working women can face in dealing with men on their jobs. With more women now holding management positions, it is no longer uncommon to find women managers with men reporting to them. These female management positions can be difficult at times.
In trying to “get it right,” I’ve known women in management who overreacted by trying to be too assertive and working too hard at establishing their authority. Don’t let that feeling of insecurity cause you to overcompensate by being too rigid and demanding. On the other hand, I’ve also seen women who bend over too far backward to keep from intimidating male subordinates and to avoid coming on too strong, and this can cause weak managers who lack proper control.
We need to find that natural, happy medium that allows us to be ourselves, to manage effectively in our own style, without being overly aware of the fact that we are female and they are male. Remember, you don’t have to manage like a man in order to be an effective manager. You need to have a good basic understanding of effective management techniques and incorporate those into your style.
I’ve seen many women in the business world try to change their behavior to a tougher style, more like the men around them. It was obvious and frankly ineffective. As women, we should take advantage of our natural leadership and management abilities, instead of trying to manage like a man. The important thing is: Are you getting the job done well, using your people productively, and is the morale in good condition? If so, you’re a good manager, even if your style is different from men.
Look at the women in Scripture who managed men: Deborah, Lydia, Priscilla, the Proverbs 31 woman, to mention a few. There was nothing tentative about their management style, but they managed as women. All were quite different from each other and different from male managers, as well.