The Queen Bee – Born or Elected?

The Queen Bee concept is something we are all familiar with. Broadly it means a dominant woman who is thought to sabotage the work or success of other women to ensure her own continued dominance or seniority. The image arises frequently in male-dominated industries where there are said to be very few spots open for women. Women in these fields are seen to be very aggressive when it comes to protecting their positions of authority. This is where many people believe that Queen Bees are born. They are strong, aggressive and exclusive. For many years I bought into the idea because I thought I had encountered them but had I?

A woman may be labeled a Queen Bee merely because she is the only female on a management team or a board of directors. But what if this lone woman at the top is really evidence that an organization is pandering to the public outcry for diversity? Consider the possibility that she may not be basking in that exclusivity.

I encourage you to think twice before you label a woman a Queen Bee. Get to know her. Don’t assume that a direct style, stoic nature or sharp tongue is proof. Behind the scenes, she may be not be empowered to do all that she would like to for the women and minorities around her. She might just be a flag that the male leadership team waves when the diversity conversation rolls around. She may be an elected Queen Bee.

This is another reason why it is important to understand the numbers within your organization. Look at the organizational charts and reporting lines.

• Understand the amount of autonomy and authority that comes with the roles women in your firm hold.
• Does a particular job/role move on and off the senior leadership team based on who holds it?
• Look at the compensation numbers put out for your leadership. Do the numbers make sense based on role and remit? Do they align with others in your industry?

Don’t be fooled by the faces and names on the company website or in the promotional materials they publish. Diversity is either embraced or it isn’t. If your company’s leadership embraces diversity, it will show up in the numbers. You will see women in every department and at every level.

You may still find a trueborn Queen Bee, but you would call her something else. – A jerk.