3. Anger at work places – double standard – one for men and another for women

‘ Male aggression is seen as a sign of his competence, his hunger to do and get more and hence, excel at whatever he does. This may taken the form of higher status, responsibilities and higher remuneration in the corporate world. Women are just seen as frustrated if they get angry.’

‘ I have a female boss and every time she loses her cool, we blame it on everything but work. It is not to say that she is not a good professional but I guess it just has to do with the way women are looked at in society.’

‘From sports to corporate world, male anger is synonymous with the killer instinct and a go-getter attitude, but if a woman were to lose her temper, she is quickly seen as frustrated with her own incapability to handle the work pressure. Women always end up justifying their anger.’

The above opinions expressed by senior executives of corporate sector in India confirms the conclusion of a study by Brescoll and Eric Uhlmann at Northwestern University, US.

Men are macho. Men are the bread earners. Expressing anger openly is the prerogative of men and not women. For millennia this has been the accepted position. Men has to hunt in earlier times and now go to work outside. Women has to tend the home and children and do the cooking. Yes, that was the position for eons. But now women are entering the citadels of corporate sector. But what has been built in the psyche will exhibit, often without any awareness on the part of individual. That is the case here.