Does this sound like your organization?
Coworkers see each other not as colleagues but as cutthroat competitors.
Bravado, extreme work hours, and unreasonable risks are rewarded.
And expressing emotion, especially doubt, is a sign of weakness.
If those sound familiar, your workplace could have what researchers call a masculinity contest culture.
And these contests can be a sign of serious organizational dysfunction.
Not only do they leave women out or force them to play in a rigged system of ridiculous rules, they also short circuit teamwork, decrease innovation, and hurt the bottom line with employee turnover or harassment lawsuits.
Researchers found four masculine norms that correlate strongly with organizational dysfunction.
One-- show no weakness.
Swagger and overconfidence suppress vulnerability, uncertainty, and tenderness.
