Women Vs. Women: Why Women Bully Each Other in the Workplace

Women are mothers, sisters, daughters, and wives.  We have many other women we love in our lives, so why does it seem that going to work is a battle zone?  Women are notorious back stabbers, manipulators, frenemies, and gossipers.  You think someone is your friend, you confide in them, and then your friend uses that information as ammunition at her will.  Women have to try hard enough already to try to get promoted, paid as much or more than men, and to be seen as a hard nosed businesswoman without coming off as a bitch.  We have so much more on our plate especially if you have a husband and children, so why aren't other women the understanding and caring individuals they are seen as in society as a whole?  Men definitely don't understand what really goes on, the cattiness and bullying behind the scenes.  Women can and try to truly hurt each other's careers just out of spite or anger, jealousy or amusement.  You would think that having a woman boss would make things better, but it really does not.  Women don't know how to address situations or give TRUE constructive criticism without tearing the person down or having an "I'm better/smarter than you" attitude.  A person can tell the difference between constructive criticism where someone is really trying to help out or trying to strip you of all your dignity while making you feel as small as an ant.So why does this happen?  Why do women do this to each other?  Why can't we just help each other out?  It's as if we are back in high school.  Women, in their late twenties to late fifties, are in cliques freezing out other women and acting passive/aggressively.  It's all just so ridiculous and unbelievable.  Work is our other home.  It's supposed to be something you enjoy, if you are as lucky as I am.  Women are sabotaging other women's careers by going to a superior and making accusations.  I've never had this happen to me personally luckily, but I have heard horror stories from friends and the accuser is another woman.  The woman usually takes a her or me approach.  "I just can't work in this type of environment, it's her or me".  Usually with some sobbing and pitiful looks, the usually male superior sides with the seemingly fragile poor sobbing woman and fires the other.  After five decades of striving for equality, this is what we end up like?  It's sad and disgusting to see the way women act towards each other.Newly promoted women tend to act overly aggressive as to try to prove themselves in a man's world.  It's understandable during the adjustment period with a new job, but when does it end?  Hostile behavior comes from women of all titles, doesn't matter if you are at the top of the ladder or the bottom.  Being given the silent treatment, glared at in a hostile manner, having been treated disrespectfully or in a rudely, and gossiping with other co-workers behind their back are all things that happen on a DAILY basis to women in the workplace.Shouldn't we try to encourage each other and give actual advice from the heart that would help one another?  I don't understand why we as women feel that every other woman is competition.  Being judgmental, rude, and sabotaging other women shouldn't be happening at all, but I would rather that if it has to happen then keep it out of the workplace.  Women are always judgmental about other women's looks and fashion or the way they talk and their intelligence.  Women only think of one person while at work, themselves.  They will claw and scratch their way to the top, not caring who gets in their way and ends up a casualty.  If you want to be a bully, then go get a job as a corrections officer, that would suit you more.  I think women should act like ladies that respect themselves and others in the workplace.  To see a women 25-60 acting in such a manner is just sad.  Maybe if companies would educate their workers with classes and role-playing, someone might just learn something.  It never hurts to learn more, to be knowledgeable on a subject, and maybe to experience something in another woman's shoes.  If companies provide sexual harassment training and seminars, then why can't there be classes taught by experts that are for women only?  Being informed is a very good way to help end this behavior.  I think it's time for us to deal with this destructive behavior because all it's doing is preventing us from rising to the top and being successful in the workplace.Peace, love, and butterflies....Follow me on Twitter @buttrfly7740