#LeadershipTuesdays: Ways Of Dealing With Differences...Mary Parker Follett

"There are three ways of dealing with difference: domination, compromise, and integration. By domination only one side gets what it wants; by compromise neither side gets what it wants; by integration we find a way by which both sides may get what they wish."  

--Mary Parker Follett

Every other Tuesday, WOMEN AT LIBERTY provides a platform for a variety of voices and resources to develop, encourage, and strengthen women leaders. Inevitably, we will experience times in our professional careers where we will disagree with a colleague on an issue or how to solve a problem. How we view that colleague and their abilities/capabilities determines how we will approach resolving the conflict. 

As highlighted in today's article, "5 Ways to Promote Female Camaraderie at Work" by Maria Russo, women can become prey to negativity or perpetuate it because of our natural tendency to compare ourselves with other females we are around. This comparison can lead to negative behavior that manifest itself in acts of cattiness, jealousy, competitiveness and gossiping.  It is hard enough to excel in the workplace as a woman without engaging in petty conflicts with another woman who should be an ally.

Ms. Russo challenges us in the Inc.com article to rise above the comparisons and focus our energies on accomplishing the work at hand. She also encourages us to foster community in the workplace by being supportive of others. That means both being willing and open to receiving support as well as giving support. When we are willing to give and receive support from our colleagues, we create camaraderie which in and of itself positively affects our work environment. 

To read today's article, click here. For more information on Leadership Tuesdays or WOMEN AT LIBERTY, click here.