Famous Sad Love Quotes: Behaving 'disagreeably' is the way to get ahead at work (if you're a man)

Friday, August 5, 2011

Behaving 'disagreeably' is the way to get ahead at work (if you're a man)

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By Daily Mail Reporter

Last updated at 3:50 PM on 5th August 2011

You'd have thought behaving in an obnoxious manner at work would be a sure-fire way to end any chances of a promotion.

But according to a study such behaviour is the way to get ahead - if you're a man.

Women who behave 'disagreeably' in the workplace are considered too controlling, researchers from the University of Notre Dame in Indiana said.

Overtly forthright men, on the other hand, are looked upon as 'tough negotiators'.

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Not recommended: While women who behave forcibly in the workplace are considered too controlling, men are looked upon as 'tough negotiators'

Professor Timothy Judge said: 'If you're a disagreeable man, you're considered a tough negotiator.

'But, the perception is that if a woman is agreeable, she gets taken advantage of, and if she is disagreeable, she's considered a control freak or "the B-word".'

Outside the workplace, 'agreeableness' generally refers to someone who is warm, sympathetic, kind and cooperative - and is the most valued characteristic cited when people are asked to identify with who they want to spend time.

But in terms of predicting workplace success, 'agreeableness' does not carry the same cachet, said Professor Judge.

'We studied four large data sets,' he said. 'And in all four we found there is a penalty for being agreeable in the workplace.

'But, while men earn a premium for being disagreeable, women don't.'

It is a stereotypical double standard according to the professor.

He said: 'Think about Martha Stewart and Donald Trump.

'They're both tough people and, yet, I think Martha Stewart has got much more negative press and taken more grief because she's a disagreeable woman.'

In a further double standard, women are also paid less than men.

The study shows a strong negative relationship between agreeableness and earnings for men.

The more agreeable a man is, the less he will earn.

For women, there is essentially no relationship at all. Regardless, they earn less than men.

So, what recourse is there for women?

Professor Judge said: 'There's a difference between disagreeing and being disagreeable.

'So, I think women should not compromise and, in fact, it's even more important for them to be aggressive in what they ask for.

'I tell negotiation students they need to ask for what they want to the point of ridiculousness.

'People think there are long-term consequences to asking for too much at work, and I don't think there's any evidence of that.

'Now, the unfairness of it, is that when women ask for more, they are more likely to have their motives questioned, which can neutralise some of the advantages.

So, I think women must present their requests in a non-threatening, gentle but firm sort of way.

'In essence, the way women communicate their demands matters more than it does for men.'