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Q. Would you advise me to try and be a pioneer and break through some of the male dominated bastions in my field or should I stick with the female groups and become the top player in those?

I see both positives and negatives in either decision.

I appreciate your assistance and am glad to see a powerful female voice reaching out to the rest of us. Thank you.

Roberta

Dear Roberta,

I think you need to break through into the male-dominated bastions to demonstrate your successful place on the field.

However, it will be from your top place in female groups that you will feel (I hope and trust) supported and admired. Often, being a leading woman, who is admired and promoted by women, will create a place for you in the male bastions because your prestige has been affirmed and can't be somehow stripped or denied by the men.

I have always done both pieces of work and found the camaraderie with my women colleagues supportive and the old boy networking within the male bastions in unfortunate, necessary evil.

Good luck! Let me know how you are doing.

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Ask Cathy Break Through Male FieldsOr Excel with Women?

Ask Cathy
Break Through Male Fields
Or Excel with Women?