Comments on: Working for the (Neanderthal) Man http://thethinpinkline.com/2009/07/20/welch-gives-tough-love-to-women/ Four Women For Women Fri, 12 Mar 2010 21:34:40 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.5 hourly 1 By: mac http://thethinpinkline.com/2009/07/20/welch-gives-tough-love-to-women/comment-page-1/#comment-14510 mac Mon, 20 Jul 2009 23:06:16 +0000 http://thethinpinkline.com/?p=2727#comment-14510 Jack Welch has always been honest about his opinions and I admire him for his integrity in this arena. As you state, he documents his views very openly in his best selling books. The fact that his books are best-selling and his views are admired as "what a leader should be like" is the issue. For women in leadership positions who are over 50 years old, they have had to routinely deal with this attitude as a given and work around it as best they could. And these attitudes absolutely affected men who had more complicated family responsibilities in the same adverse manner as women with families. I believe that these attitudes will die off in the next decade. It is uplifting that women can now question the effectiveness of these types of leaders without repercussion to their careers. You absolutely can talk about whether "Jack is a dinosaur" at the "water cooler" ever since Hilary ran for president and it is politically correct! However, practically speaking, when no one asks people like Jack Welch to address large audiences, go on television or more importantly publish his books, we will then have finally evolved to the new cultural state of affairs. Jack Welch has always been honest about his opinions and I admire him for his integrity in this arena. As you state, he documents his views very openly in his best selling books. The fact that his books are best-selling and his views are admired as “what a leader should be like” is the issue. For women in leadership positions who are over 50 years old, they have had to routinely deal with this attitude as a given and work around it as best they could. And these attitudes absolutely affected men who had more complicated family responsibilities in the same adverse manner as women with families. I believe that these attitudes will die off in the next decade. It is uplifting that women can now question the effectiveness of these types of leaders without repercussion to their careers. You absolutely can talk about whether “Jack is a dinosaur” at the “water cooler” ever since Hilary ran for president and it is politically correct! However, practically speaking, when no one asks people like Jack Welch to address large audiences, go on television or more importantly publish his books, we will then have finally evolved to the new cultural state of affairs.

]]> By: Rita@Goldivas http://thethinpinkline.com/2009/07/20/welch-gives-tough-love-to-women/comment-page-1/#comment-14507 Rita@Goldivas Mon, 20 Jul 2009 21:43:53 +0000 http://thethinpinkline.com/?p=2727#comment-14507 He makes some good points, but he is a dinosaur for sure. And, we need to avoid idolizing these types, they have contributed some negative things to our culture in addition to their achievements. He makes some good points, but he is a dinosaur for sure. And, we need to avoid idolizing these types, they have contributed some negative things to our culture in addition to their achievements.

]]> By: E.D. http://thethinpinkline.com/2009/07/20/welch-gives-tough-love-to-women/comment-page-1/#comment-14488 E.D. Mon, 20 Jul 2009 12:19:39 +0000 http://thethinpinkline.com/?p=2727#comment-14488 I have to say that I appreciate his honesty. It's better than having a boss/company that pays lip service to "work-life balance" then denies opportunities to those that care for aging relatives or children. My employer is very flexible with working hours and time off for caregivers, but I can count on one hand the number of women with children in any type of leadership position. I have to say that I appreciate his honesty. It’s better than having a boss/company that pays lip service to “work-life balance” then denies opportunities to those that care for aging relatives or children.

My employer is very flexible with working hours and time off for caregivers, but I can count on one hand the number of women with children in any type of leadership position.

]]>