Is this all hype about the Queen Bees Syndrome or a continuing problem? Is it old news and something that I and others should stop talking about? Good questions and ones I hear from time to time.
In a recent article on Forbes on line, “The Queen Bees Sting Keeps Women from Getting to the Top,” it seems clear that the Queen Bees are not a thing of the past. Although the article is not specific to the behavior of women lawyers, there is a lot of information there that addresses women in law and needs your attention.
I often refer to the quote from former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, “There is a special place in hell for women who do not help other women.” It addresses a sentiment at the heart of the Best Friends at the Bar program, and the quote also is included in the Forbes article. Regrettably, we still have a lot of women at the top of the legal profession who don’t get it. As the Forbes article points out, they are like the mean girls in middle school but with “the professional experience and network to hold onto her high-power crown at the expense of others.”
The article also includes these words from a young law woman lawyer:
“When I was starting out, I wanted to be influential, develop my voice and make an impact. I recognized the importance of building relationships with senior women but had trouble gaining buy-in from some in the legal profession. I didn’t understand why I felt this tension, especially because I was able to line up strong female sponsors who were in other professions. I asked an accomplished woman to offer her perspective. She told me that some women believe there is only one seat at the boardroom table for a woman, making them reluctant to embrace each other. Some adopt a scarcity mentality, believing that another’s win is their loss, instead of an abundance mentality, realizing there are plenty of opportunities for everyone.”
So, even when you young women are giving it all you can and “leaning in” to the best of your abilities, some women at the top are not reaching out helping hands. For me, that is the the lowest common denominator of the worst kind of female leadership. It is indefensible, and it results in many young women leaving the practice and is a blocking mechanism for those women who stay and are trying to break through to advance to partnership and positions of leadership in their firms.
And this bad behavior does not match the research. It is established that organizations are enriched by diversity at the top, as I have written about and spoken about from the beginning of the Best Friends at the Bar program. I wrote about it again in my new book for law firm leaders.
But, it is still a tough sell in our profession. It is why I keep writing and speaking, and it is why I ask you to help spread the messages of Best Friends at the Bar. Although women are not the only ones keeping us down in the profession, they may be the ones we can affect the most.
Help me do that. Forward the messages. Keep young women informed and let them know that help is available. Help all women in our profession understand the difference between good and bad behavior.
Women will rise together in our profession, and each of us needs to do our part. Start today!
