How do you assert yourself when working with men?

6 comments

1. I use a strong, low voice and speak firmly and directly.

2. Be really good at whatever type of work you’re doing. I was a professional cook for many years and usually one of the few females on the line. A lot of guys will talk a big game and walk around all cocky when things are slow, but when there’s a rush and the kitchen gets slammed, that’s where you separate the men and women from the boys.

3. Don’t pay attention to the fact that you are a women. Other’s will point that out for you, but there’s no need to make a bigger deal of it than it allready is. Unless your job involves a lot of physical strength your gender is completely irrelevant.

4. look them straight and grumpy in the eye when eating a banana. Make sure to bite down hard and hold the banana firmly with a stron “full hand” grip. A collegue used to make pervy comments towards me, he stopped after that. Idk, maybe he didn’t like bananas.

   For the rest I found it’s easiest to fake it til you make it. Just pretend you’re the most confident boss queen who reeks of competence (without being too arrogant of course, just to get to the men’s level of confidence). Try and make yourself bigger if that helps and don’t accept being interrupted or overtalked. Call them out directly to their face as they are doing it.

5. Avoid using qualifiers, or diluting your point by adding things like “I’m not sure if that makes sense”, or “this sounds silly, but…” etc. Just delete from your vocabulary if you hear it creeping into your sentences.
   Confident body language and tone of voice helps too.
   The rest probably depends on what kind of men and what kind of work.

6. don’t let them call you love or honey or sweetie or any cutesy names like that.