ophthalmology Times
Etlitflrial
A dangerous perception
Dealing with tiie glass ceiling
Psychologist finds that women believe other women are obstacles
By Peter J. McDonnell, MD
W
omen, as we all
know, historically
have been under-
represented in
many professions
and especially in leadership roles.
The "old boys' club," in which male
superiors support and advance male em-
ployees while oppressing women, results
in the so-called glass ceiling, in which
women find they often are unable to rise
to positions of influence and authority
within an organization.
The solution is to identify capable
women who can assume leadership roles,
because they will serve as mentors and
role models for young women in the
company/medical or law practice/aca-
demic department, and ensure that
women are offered chances for develop-
ment and advancement at least as actively
as men. In effect, an "old girls' club" now
will serve the same function for women
tor which the old boys' club is famous.
At least this is the conventional wis-
dom. It always has made good sense to
me, seems completely logical, and I be-
lieve to at least some degree reflects the
philosophy of many organizations (in-
cluding my own university).
But it seems that conventional wis-
dom may be wrong.
In the February issue of Psychology
Today, clinical psychologist Judith Sills,
PhD, presents a fascinating analysis of
tbe perceptions of young women in the
workplace who "say that other women in
power are holding them back."
According to Dr. Sills, women are less
likely than men to mentor younger
women. Some men, we are told, are will-
ing to reach out to and mentor young te-
male colleagues (the right thing to do) be-
cause they believe that women are weak
and in need of help (the wrong reason).
I recommend this article to you. It is
provocatively titled, "Catfight in the
boardroom: Do women hold other
women back?"
Whether reality or perception, writes
Dr. Sills, office pres-
sures can make
women unco-
operative.
All the Clinical News in Sight
Vignettes include the following:
• A gentleman recently complained
that, although his private club had com-
mitted itself to increasing female mem-
bership, the admissions committee had
thus far been unsuccessful. "No matter
which woman is proposed," he said,
"some other woman blackballs her."
• Two women are comparing career
trajectories, one complaining that she
was stalled for 2 years, until she finagled
a lateral move. "What was the problem?"
"Woman boss."
Senior women at best
are neutral and
at worst obstruct the
career development
of younger women.
Common survey finding
Apparently, surveys of women in the
workplace consistently reveal that, rather
than being perceived as the advocates of
junior women employees via the "old
girls' club," senior women at best are
neutral and at worst obstruct the career
development of younger women.
Dr. Sills writes: "A woman's worst
workplace enemy? Another woman.
Women, it is widely felt, hold other
women back. Is there validity to this per-
ception? I haven't seen data to prove it's
true, but the fact that it is a common
survey finding is powerful in itself.
Women blocking other women is a
dangerous perception. It reinforces some
inchoate portrait of the woman execu-
tive as insecure bitch, easily threatened,
overly emotional, less able to focus on
achievement because she is preoccupied
with squelching younger talent."
Some observations
Being neither a psychologist nor some-
one who has researched this area, I can-
not pretend to settle the question of
whether women in positions of author-
ity, in general, interfere with the career
advancement of other women. Having
observed several women in leadership
positions (whether faculty, nursing
staff, or administrative staff) in the
three academic departments in which I
have worked, my conclusion is that
some women are effective mentors/role
models/advocates for other women,
whereas some women seem to be terri-
ble in this role.
But exactly the same can be said for
male leaders. One hopes there are a lot
more of the good leaders to further the
development of junior people, male or
female.
Wherever the truth lies in terms of
perception versus reality, one conclusion
I draw is that it is a false assumption that
simply putting women into positions of
authority will eliminate the glass ceiling
for women newly entering the work
force under these women leaders.
Rather, it seems to me that all employ-
ees, male and female, should be enrolled
in programs of mentoring and leader-
ship training. This approach does not
rely on women feeling responsible for
helping members of their own sex out of
shared bonds of "sisterhood" nor on
senior men helping women because they
perceive them to be weak.
If you run a large practice or organi-
zation, how have you addressed this
issue?OT
Peter J. McDonnell, MD
is director of The Wilmer Eye
Institute, The Johns Hopkins
University School of Medicine,
BaHimore, and chief medical
editor of Ophthalmology Times.
He can be reached at
727 Maumenee Building,
600 N. Wolfe St.,
Baltimore, MD 21287-9278
Phone; 443/287-1511
Fax: 443/287-1 514
E-mail; pmcdonn l@jhmi.edu
Chief Medical Editor Peter J. McDonnell, MD
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