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“Stop smiling so much”, “Try to be more stern”, “Be tough”…These are some of the most common pieces of advice I’ve gotten from big corporate sisters over the years.
I’ve always been the smiling, nurturing, borderline people-pleasing type. And apparently naturally and agreeably feminine types like myself are not exactly suited for leadership. Or are we?
The image of the successful, over-acheiving corporate sister is often a conservative, stern one. On Forbes magazines and other leadership publications where women leaders are celebrated as the exception more than the rule, it seems smiles are controlled, postures are unnaturally rigid and speeches are controlled. Not a lick of excess lipstick, or a lick of hair not in its place…Femininity, let alone natural, spontaneous sexiness, are not de rigueur…No wonder Barbie was always more appealing to young girls than the Iron Lady (Bless her soul)…
In the age of female empowerment and women “leaning in”, is femininity seen as a hindrance in the world of corporate leadership? Does being a leader equate to negating the essence of womanhood? Does success mean changing who we are?
The Corporate Sister
