A Special Note for Women

Juanita Hinshaw, CFO of the multibillion-dollar technology company Graybar Electric, gives a particular admonition against anger, temper, and aggression to women executives. She believes that many women try to imitate men and their testosterone levels in business. They "try to be men, imitating male mentors" and consequently "become overly aggressive in their business dealings." Hinshaw considers such an approach to be a big career mistake. "While women should be assertive, they cannot be as overtly aggressive as men," she claims. Consequently, women should use anger very "sparingly" or they will become resented, hated, and completely ineffective on the job. It is not fair that this rule applies even more to women than men, perhaps, but it is reality.