Difficult work conversations: a gender perspective

[shootingstar]

If you are sad over personal issues you don't have to be in such tight control. But if it just job stuff, don't give them the satisfaction of seeing they hurt you. Part of being in the workplace is appearing tough and in control.

Maybe in control of tears over work-related matters, not necessarily tough. Every situation is different, but make those tears in public workplace as infrequent as possible. There's always the washroom to retire to...

I've worked for several male-dominant organizations, both terms of % gender numbers and also as reflected in the management composition, primarily men filling those ranks. Methinks most people would forgive tears if it's a personal family matter that you are trying to cope with, but it's probably wise to control those tears if it's job-related, out of public eye.

Not alot of people in an organization are jerks (at least not for the employers I've worked for, despite demands on employees). It's often just 1-2 jerks. Sometimes tears makes other people (bystanders) wonder how carefully they should treat the person who blew up in tears last time over a work-related matter.

Anyway, each person is different. Often I wonder at times, also it's the employee's family upbringing and other things in life prior to the job, that shapes a person's response to certain comments/situations. I know for myself, I was raised in a family that can be blunt/frank to one another with lots of noise, arguing, etc. If I have done something wrong at work, I need to have someone tell me bluntly in the face, otherwise an overly smooth/soothing remark might just bypass "deaf'/clueless me.