Stepping stone: Studies show that assertive women are often less likely to get ahead at work than those who exhibit more feminine traits. |
Women who want to succeed at work should resist the temptation to act like men, scientists have said. Studies show that assertive women are often less likely to get ahead than those who exhibit more feminine traits. If however, they try to conform, promotion comes their way. The findings, which will dismay feminists, suggest that the best way for a woman to succeed in a man’s world is to act like a lady. Past research has shown that women oozing with self-confidence, assertiveness and other characteristics linked with successful management can be sidelined at work in favour of meeker types. It is thought that while such traits are highly-prized in men, go-getting women are penalised for not being feminine enough. Instead of being seen as strong bosses, feisty women are perceived as being less likeable. In one US study into the so-called ‘backlash effect’, volunteers were given a selection of CVs from university students applying for summer job at a bank. A woman applicant who attempted to negotiate extras such as help towards their transport or living costs was three and a half times less likely to get a job offer than a similarly pushy male. In fact, the pushy women were the least likely of the lot to get taken on. The latest study set out to explore what women who are naturally assertive can do to get ahead in the workplace. Eighty young men and women completed questionnaires about their personality and while doing master’s degree in business administration in America. Around eight years later, the researchers got back in touch with them to find out how their careers were going. Some had been promoted five times, others just once or twice, a journal published by the British Psychological Society reports. The results revealed that ‘macho’ women who were true to themselves had been promoted less than more feminine sorts. But the bossy women who made a conscious effort to not appear to threatening by ‘self-monitoring’ their behaviour had done better than those who had carried on regardless. (Read by Nelly Min. Nelly Min is a journalist at the China Daily Website.) (Agencies) |
科學(xué)家們認為,那些想獲得事業(yè)成功的女性應(yīng)該避免“男性化作風(fēng)”。 研究發(fā)現(xiàn),強勢的女人往往比那些有女人味的員工更難成功。 但是如果她們能順應(yīng)人們的觀念,做出改變,升職便不成問題。 以上研究結(jié)果表明,女性在男人世界里獲得成功的最佳途徑是“表現(xiàn)得像個女人”。這一發(fā)現(xiàn)一定會讓女權(quán)主義者大為失望。 以往的研究顯示,充滿自信的、有主見的、具有成功領(lǐng)導(dǎo)者品質(zhì)的女性往往在那些喜歡溫順女性的工作中遭受排擠。 人們普遍認為,對于男性員工來說,以上品質(zhì)很重要,但是如果一個女人有野心的話,她會因為不夠女性化而吃虧。 爭強好勝的女人不會被看作是能力強的老板,不僅如此,人們還覺得她們不招人喜歡。 在美國的一項關(guān)于“抵制效應(yīng)”的研究中,研究人員給志愿者一些挑選出來的大學(xué)生簡歷,這些學(xué)生應(yīng)聘的是某銀行的暑期實習(xí)生崗位。 如果一個女性申請者試圖爭取一些諸如交通費和生活費的補助,那么她得到該工作的可能性要比跟她一樣爭取補助的男性申請者小3.5倍。 事實上,這種強勢的女人是所有人中最不可能被錄用的。 這項最新的調(diào)查旨在探究天生強勢的女人如何在工作中獲得成功。 80名年輕男性和女性于在美國攻讀MBA期間填寫了關(guān)于他們個性特征的問卷。 約8年后,研究人員與這些人取得了聯(lián)系,詢問他們的職業(yè)發(fā)展情況。 一本由英國心理學(xué)會出版的期刊報告說,這些人中有的人已經(jīng)獲得五次升職,而其他人則只有一兩次。 研究結(jié)果顯示,我行我素的“男人婆”要比那些更女性化的女人升職次數(shù)少。 而有的女人雖然專橫,卻能有意控制自己的行為,使自己看起來沒什么殺氣。這些女人要比那些不顧外界看法的“男人婆”更成功。 相關(guān)閱讀 巾幗不讓須眉 女性領(lǐng)導(dǎo)能力優(yōu)于男性 (中國日報網(wǎng)英語點津 崔旭燕 編輯:陳丹妮) |
Vocabulary: ooze: if somebody/something oozes a particular characteristic, quality, etc., they show it strongly 洋溢著,充滿(特質(zhì)、氣質(zhì)等) sideline: to prevent somebody from having an important part in something that other people are doing(把……排除在核心之外;使靠邊) penalise: to put somebody at a disadvantage by treating them unfairly(置于不利地位;不公正地對待) feisty: (of people) strong, determined and not afraid of arguing with people(人)堅決而據(jù)理力爭的 backlash: a strong negative reaction by a large number of people, for example to something that has recently changed in society (對社會變動等的)強烈抵制,集體反對 CV: 履歷,簡歷(全寫為 curriculum vitae) pushy: trying hard to get what you want, especially in a way that seems rude(執(zhí)意強求的) true to oneself: 堅持自已的原則 bossy: always telling people what to do(好指揮人的;專橫的) |