COPING WITH FEMALE COLLEAGUES!!!!

Hey guys,

So I have been working for quite some time now, and when I mean working, I mean in a real professional work field, where life basically gets real lol. Being that I work with a construction company, my coworkers are overwhelmingly male. So overwhelmingly male, that in fact, I am only one of three women in my department for now.

Le collègues

As we all know, there are certain stereotypes that have been associated with women in our society, especially in the work field. I for one, have always bought into the "its better to work with men" stereotype, probably because, for the most part of my life, I've lived with women, schooled with them, worked with them (in terms of group projects, event planning and activities), chilled with them, and I tell you, those moments haven't been easy movements at all lol. Often times, I get the opportunity to speak with quite a number of employees at different organizations, and a common phrase I hear is "I really don't like working for women". What is it about us tho? A friend of mine once said "Where two or three women are gathered, there's bound to be commotion" lol do you guys agree? What do you think about working with women?

To be very honest, I think there are different expectations and perceptions about women at work than there are of men because narrow gender stereotyping has defined the way we should behave. It is no doubt that women can be quite complicated, competitive, bitchy, aggressive and envious of each other, hence, I find that, with working with women, one has to be very careful with what they say or do which makes work days so boring lol. Men on the other hand, are more free spirited and a lot easy going. They tend to take things less personal and they have a better ability to endure and tolerate certain attitudes. Though, Ego is a major issue for them and they Indulge in bickering and petty gossips too. But this isn't another article explaining how biological or economical differences between men and women account for difference in behavior.

The aim of this post is basically to point out ways we can cope with colleagues cuz workplace conflicts are almost inevitable, especially in large offices. Personality differences and different approaches to communication and work style are bound to occasionally create friction, even in a generally happy and productive office environment. That said, it is important to prevent minor personality differences from getting in the way of your work, so it is a good idea to be proactive in preventing office tiffs and also to resolve quickly any tension that does come up.

Here are a few ways I cope with my female colleagues.

TAKE YOUR JOB SERIOUSLY:

Regardless of your position, do your job with joy and reduce complaints. This would enhance your productivity and make every other person's job a lot easier for them. Complaining and nagging about everything, reduces your morale and can lead to a display of moody attitude, which might in turn, affect the moods of other colleagues and can lead to a poor team work or create unnecessary conflicts. Ensure that your colleagues understand that you know your job and are happy doing it.

RESPECT YOUR COLLEAGUES

Respect is one of the most crucial things, not just at work but in general. It is the foundation of all good relationships, including those you have with your colleagues and boss. Women love to be respected even by their bosses and a constant act of disrespect from a colleague can make the other party feel challenged and that might lead to unnecessary arguments or competition. So, no matter the situation, always give respect to whom it is due. Respect is reciprocal.

STUDY YOUR COLLEAGUES

Studying your colleagues is one of the easiest ways to get along with them. Know their likes and dislikes, observe their body languages, their senses of humor, know when to joke and when not to, know the kind of jokes to crack, know when they are being serious about an issue and when they are just fooling around, basically know your boundaries and keep to your lane. These would help in your connection, flow and work relationship with them.

BE YOURSELF

I know this can be arguable but being yourself pays off. Don't try so hard to impress or outshine your colleagues or put other women down to get ahead. Doing so is being complicit in the patriarchy, and inevitably forcing women to stay in their place.
Rather, stay humble and Let your work speak for itself.

AVOID GOSSIPS

The line between friendly conversations with colleagues and gossip can be fine, but take the high road whenever possible. Even legitimate criticism of a colleague can come across as gossip, so in general, it is best to avoid commenting on people who are not participating in the conversation.

NOT ALL THE TIME YOU IGNORE.

Deal with Issues before they get worse, It definitely helps in getting along well at an office. Most of the time, when you just try to ignore a problem, it gets worse. So, don't let problems fester. No need to make a big deal of trying to get resolution on every little issue, but don't ignore a problem that hurts your work performance in any way. Try to resolve the issue with as little fuss as possible, but don't hesitate to take matters up with your supervisor as necessary.

GIVE COMPLIMENTS

Not all the time you find faults. Compliment your female colleagues once in a while it helps them feel good about themselves and generates more enthusiasm towards work. It also eases off tensions in the air if there are any and creates a peaceful environment for a better work outcome.

DON'T BUDDY UP TOO MUCH

There is absolutely nothing wrong with our tendencies and desire to be close to and share with one another but try not to buddy up too much. The BFF tendency that none of us can deny having, is a drawback in the workplace because it makes you look less independent and therefore less capable + it gives room for subtle disrespect.

BE DEPENDABLE

Being dependable means you can be trusted and people can have confidence in you. Next time a colleague tells you something in good faith, keep it to yourself. There is nothing worse than a tell-tale.

USE THE CALM APPROACH

Learn to always exercise self control (still struggling with this tho). Do not respond to situations nastily, regardless of the circumstances. By remaining professional and calm, you show that you have the maturity to handle awkward situations, which is a quality that people will admire in you. Being calm and collected is all about showing that you have got it together, (whether you actually do or not) and that is something that everyone wants.

Yeah! So I think with these and a few more tips (which I hope you can add), working with women might not be that difficult after all. I think its just basically about accommodation and adaptation (finding the best ways to accommodate and adapt) into any given environment, professional fields, lifestyles and personality differences or what do you think?

Have a nice week :)