I read an article on the USA Today website earlier today that includes an interesting debate about whether or not tears are ever appropriate in the workplace. The debate stems from Hillary Clinton’s highly publicized tears during an interview session that may or may not have helped her gain some ground in the polls and come out on top in the New Hampshire primary last week.
There are two sides to this argument. The first side cites a quote from Martha Stewart on The Apprentice when she told a female contestant, “women in business don’t cry, my dear.” The other side of the debate says tears show others you’re human and capable of having natural reactions to situations.
Interestingly, research shows that a man crying at work is actually more acceptable than a woman crying at work.
Where do you weigh in on this debate? I have to agree with the former argument (although perhaps not quite as harshly as Martha Stewart stated it) and say I don’t think crying at work is ever appropriate. If you feel your emotions getting the best of you, excuse yourself from the conversation to regroup then go back and tackle the situation from a position of control.
What do you think? You can read more from both sides of the debate on USA Today.
Tags: USA Today, women in business, women on business, Hillary Clinton, Hillary Clinton crying, businesswomen
Susan Gunelius
Susan Gunelius is the Founder and Editor-in-Chief of Women on Business. She is a 30-year veteran of the marketing field and has authored a dozen books about marketing, branding, and social media, including the highly popular Ultimate Guide to Email Marketing, 30-Minute Social Media Marketing, Content Marketing for Dummies, Blogging All-in-One for Dummies and Kick-ass Copywriting in 10 Easy Steps. Susan’s marketing-related content can be found on Entrepreneur.com, Forbes.com, MSNBC.com, BusinessWeek.com, and more. Susan is President & CEO of KeySplash Creative, Inc., a marketing communications company. She has worked in corporate marketing roles and through client relationships with AT&T, HSBC, Citibank, Intuit, The New York Times, Cox Communications, and many more large and small companies around the world. Susan also speaks about marketing, branding and social media at events around the world and is frequently interviewed by television, online, radio, and print media organizations about these topics. She holds an MBA in Management and Strategy and a Bachelor of Science degree in Marketing and is a Certified Professional Career Coach (CPCC).
Follow Me:
