Women can have a tendency to focus on details rather than taking a big-picture approach, which is key to leadership. And, while women have a strong orientation to human relationships and the success of the team, this can create a situation where a female manager is not seen as a strong authority. In that light, some women who have reached management positions said they have struggled to understand their leadership role. Finally, there can be a great deal of rivalry among women in the newsroom. When few management level jobs are available to women, an atmosphere of competition arises rather than one of cooperation and support.
Some women talk of feeling alienated by other women once they have been promoted.
Others mention female supervisors who do little to help female colleagues gain the skills they need to move ahead. They felt threatened, so I had to work harder to prove myself - my strength was, in fact, my dedication to my work.