Family roles at work- and in Detroit
The New York Times today has a piece on how often we renact our role in our family of origin at work.
Tag Creative, the company profiled in the piece, hired psychologists to help through a staff increase, because the women in charge seem to know that what’s true at home is usually true at work. Two of the women are oldest children, and one is the second of five. How do you think that plays out?
“I sometimes have to tell myself, she is not your mother, she’s your partner,” said Amy Frankel, 53, the chief strategy officer, referring to her two co-owners.
And being women in their fifties, one can easily imagine the women being “mother hens,” something we would never expect of a male owner of a similar age:
“One longtime company employee, Matthew Aldrich, who is the youngest of three brothers, feels very “taken care of” by the three partners, whom he calls “the ladies.” “They look after me like a son,” he said, adding that sometimes he even feels spoiled, reminding him somewhat of life in his family. “’It’s a nurturing role.’”
I first came across exploring leadership through the family of origin when I encountered the work of Dr. Marjorie Blum, whose self-defined leadership work uses genograms to examine how our family of origin determines our leadership style and behavior at work. This exploration crosscuts with the narrative storytelling we love to devour about our leaders. I always think of the Clintons when I think of family narratives, family roles, and eventual leadership styles. Are there specific characteristics in the family of origin that breed typical American leaders?
I wonder about the Big Three CEOs and their family roles. I wonder how these guys got where they are today. They exhibit no leadership skills whatsoever- “look mom, I can drive a hybrid”! From the lockstep of their drives to DC to their lame repeat performances in Congress, they have yet to exhibit any innovation or self-reliance to the casual observer like myself. To this point, Michael Moore’s column in the Huffington Post on how to save Detroit is a must-read.
These guys really seem to need approval more than anything else. Approval of Congress, approval of the American people, of the media. UAW leaders, by contrast, come off as more innovative and leaderly than the CEO’s. And what’s interesting- Gettelfinger, head of the UAW, is getting more buzz than Rick Waggoner, CEO of GM, and Bob Nardelli, CEO of Chrysler. What does that tell us?
And yet, the CEOs have prostrated themselves enough. It’s unfair that the financial sector got whatever it wanted, and Detroit gets raked over the coals in a public shame show. But perhaps the PR departments in Detroit should have hired three actor white guys to play more impressive leaders before showing up in Washington.
Anorexic child-women become femmes fatales
Just what a nine month pregnant woman on bed rest wants to see!
Models in New York before and after makeup and hair sessions for the runway….scary stuff.
About Me
Morra Aarons-Mele utilizes social media strategies to help employers, employees and communities connect. She also consults with leading organizations on how women can use the internet for professional and personal development. In her spare time, Morra enjoys blogging about women and politics. Read her full bio >>
Recent Posts
- Entrepreneurs: not who you think they are
- 10:25 am, Tuesday
- Read His Lips: Workplace Flex Not a Women’s Issue
- Blogging from the White House Forum on Workplace Flexibility
- Wolf at BestBuy- Women’s Affinity Group with Bottom Line Effect