How should I react when my supervisor makes sexist remarks? | AskTOP.net – Leader Development for Army Professionals

How should I react when my supervisor makes sexist remarks?

How would you react if your first line leader, upon meeting you for the first time said, "Oh, great another female, I was hoping for a male."

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From my perspective, this statement says more about the man who said it, than about women soldiers. If this were said to me, I’d just give him a straight, hard, no expression look. For now, be the best soldier you can be. Give this leader a chance to appreciate your ability as a soldier and a valuable member of his team.

In the meantime, don’t waste your energy dwelling on this single statement. Sometimes people say stupid things without thinking. To be successful as a soldier, you can’t take isolated incidents like this too personally. Move out and prove to him that you are a superb soldier. Let your performance prove his initial statement wrong.

If over time, he doesn’t figure out that you are an asset to his team, then look for an opportunity to transfer to another team. Complaining about how he wouldn’t give you a chance from the beginning will only make you look bad.

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    Comments

  • Part-Time-Commander

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    I might tolerate it the first time, but if it happened again I would have a heart to heart talk with my supervisor (in a professional way). If it happened a third time I would bring it to my chain of command.

    Great article.

    Chuck

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