⚠️ 𝗜𝗧 𝗪𝗔𝗦𝗡’𝗧 𝗛𝗘𝗥 𝗧𝗢𝗡𝗘.
𝗜𝗧 𝗪𝗔𝗦 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗙𝗔𝗖𝗧 𝗧𝗛𝗔𝗧 𝗜𝗧 𝗪𝗔𝗦 𝗛𝗘𝗥.
You say she’s too direct but would you say the same if it came from him?
A male colleague gives instructions - it’s leadership.
A woman gives the same instructions and she’s “difficult,” “bossy,” or “needs to work on her delivery.”
You don’t need to admit it out loud.
But it shows up in the eye-rolls.
The pushback.
The quiet undermining.
I had a client once - female, senior, competent.
She led a team of mostly men.
And almost weekly, one of them would “double-check” her decisions with the male director above her.
Even though she was right.
Even though it was her project.
Even though she was the one running the show.
And before you think it’s a generational issue…..
the ones pushing back were often younger.
This isn’t just legacy bias.
It’s learned behaviour that still lives in workplaces today - because we don’t challenge it properly.
I remember being in a senior role early in my career.
And I started noticing something.
↳ My decisions were often echoed louder by male colleagues
↳ Clients would default to “he” when describing the leader - until I corrected them
(If you know me, I have no issues correcting people, politely of course)
↳ When I gave clear direction, some still looked to a male peer for confirmation
I wasn’t being “challenged", but what was it??
I was being measured against a standard that didn’t apply to me. And I couldn't control that.
And whoever you are reading this, I want you to ask yourself some questions;
↳ Do some men feel undermined being managed by a woman?
↳ Do you interpret female authority as more aggressive?
↳ Are instructions questioned more when they come from her?
Because if the answer is yes, then NEWS FLASH! -
you’re not just slowing her career.
You’re silently compromising your business decisions, too.
So how do I manage these matters for my clients?
↳ Spotting invisible resistance patterns in team dynamics
↳ Breaking the habit of confidence-draining “second opinions”
↳ Balancing communication styles without silencing women
↳ Re-training teams to respect the role, not the gender
And the outcome?
✔️ Women lead without second-guessing themselves
✔️ Men follow without ego or fragility
✔️ And your business runs faster, stronger, and better
As a HR/employment law expert, with expertise in women's workplace rights and issues,
I don’t just call it out - I'm not here to slap you on the wrist.
I recalibrate it, so your leadership culture matches your business goals.
If she has to prove she’s in charge -
she never really had the authority to begin with.
My calendar is always open for a confidential chat
https://lnkd.in/eSXgRSX5
♻️ REPOST to help your network lead beyond bias
▶︎ Follow Tina S. Rahman for trauma-aware, women-wise HR and leadership
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Image by Wisestep
Founder of HR Habitat, award winner of "Best HR & Employment Law Consultancy, 2024" title. As featured in BBC Oline, BBC Asian Network Radio, Telegraph & more.Β
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