Sparky Life
On Your Construction Network the Sparky Life Podcast with Lia Lamela, every Thursday has remarkable stories and points of view from journeyman and woman who build the things that make our lives work! These lessons learned are not only valuable for those engaged in the skilled trades but frankly for all of us whether we use tools literally or figuratively in our daily lives. I share with you my electrical journey, experiences and insight through engaging banter with those I have met along the way. If you are interested in trade tales, an industry frought with excitement and risk subscribe and be notified every Thursday when trade tales continue. We build the world we want to live in. Let’s band together to create the sparks in our lives!
Sparky Life
The HARSH Truth: Women Are The Problem
We speak with Megan Switzer for a raw and honest conversation about the complex dynamics of women supporting women, particularly within male-dominated fields.
Get ready for some eye-opening truths as they delve into the question of why women don't always support each other. Drawing on Dr. Sha Andrews' research (as featured in Forbes), they discuss the "power dead even rule" coined by Pat Helm and colleagues from "Hardball for Women", which suggests that for healthy relationships between women, their power and self-esteem must be perceived as similar. They explore how disruptions in this balance can lead to negative behaviours and a lack of support.
Lia and Megan also touch upon:
- The influence of emotional intelligence (EQ) and how women in higher leadership may adopt more male-specific competencies.
- Megan's personal experiences entering the construction industry as a general contractor and the contrasting support she received online versus on the job site.
- The "Queen Bee Syndrome" and the mindset of scarcity that can sometimes exist.
- Anecdotes of both supportive and unsupportive interactions with other women in the industry, including a revealing experience with a non-profit aimed at empowering women.
- Personal reflections on the challenges of forming and maintaining strong female friendships and the impact of societal expectations.
- The importance of consciously working to change negative patterns and truly support other women.
- The hosts share powerful insights and experiences on navigating a male-dominated environment and the vital need for female solidarity.
Stay tuned until the end for an exciting announcement! Lia and Megan reveal that they will be starting a monthly talk show called "Hard Hat and Acrylics", taking a more NPR-style approach to discussing research, facts, and various topics within the construction space, from workwear to AI.
00:01:00 - The "Power Dead Even Rule" and Lack of Support Among Women
00:04:09 - Contrasting Online Support vs. Job Site Reality
00:05:58 - Trying to Protect a Female Intern from Negative Dynamics
00:19:03 - Queen Bee Syndrome and the Scarcity Mindset (Dr. Sha Andrews)
00:23:44 - Negative Experience with a Women's Non-Profit and Sabotage:
00:27:29 - Differing Reactions to Being Surpassed by Male vs. Female Competitors (Danica Patrick)
00:33:44 - The Fallacy of Becoming "One of the Guys" and Lack of True Support
00:37:48 - Realising the Importance of Female Friendships and Community
00:45:22 - The Need for Genuine Support Beyond Superficial Interactions
01:03:53 - Madeline Albright's Quote About Women Not Supporting Women
🌟 Meet Our Guest – Megan Switzer! 🌟
Host of Doin’ Girly Things
📢 Follow Megan & Stay Inspired:
Megan: https://meganswitzer.com/
💡 Special Thanks to Our Sponsor:
SupplyHouse – Get the best tools & supplies!: https://www.supplyhouse.com
Keywords:
Women supporting women
Lack of support
Construction industry
Male-dominated industry/fields
Power dead even rule
Queen Bee syndrome
Scarcity mindset
Female friendships
Assertiveness
Online vs. offline support
Internalised biases/misogyny
Mentorship
Competition (negative)
Solidarity
