Ruderman & Ohlott, Chapter 2: Making Connections

In this chapter, Ruderman and Ohlott explore women in the workplace--their specifically feminine ways of handling things, possible issues they may come across, and how they work through these possible problems.   "In traditional Western society, a woman defines her identity through attachment and intimacy, organizing and developing her sense of self in the context of her important relationships."   In the workplace, this is not always valued.   The authors stress that "in most organizations, the type of relational work that women have typically been responsible for is not valued," and that they are typically encouraged to strive for individual achievements instead of communicating and working together.   They go on to explore possible problems of connection for high-performance managers, among these lack of a reference group or one-on-one intimacy and shutting people out.   They stress that "through exchanging stories, women learn that they are not alone."   For many of the women they interviewed, finding a community, having a sound board for ideas, and mentoring each other was crucial. - K.G.