Finally, someone confirms my suspicions!!! The Max Planck Institute for Human Development has just released a study suggesting that “women bosses are significantly more likely than men to discriminate against female employees.” This tendency in female managers, called “the Queen Bee syndrome,” likely stems from women at the top who feel threatened by other women and therefore, prefer to surround themselves with men. As a result, these Queen Bees often jeapordize the promotions of other females at their companies.
Ding! Ding! Ding! CORRECT! I’ve witnessed this “Queen Bee Syndrome” at a number of jobs I’ve held, so I couldn’t agree with the study more.
Women’s careers and downright mental health can suffer extreme setbacks when attacked by a Queen Bee. Just look at Helen Green, a Deutsche Bank employee from London. This past summer, she was awarded nearly £800,000 in damages after four of her female colleagues bullied her at her workplace for TWO YEARS. The poor woman suffered a nervous breakdown because of it.
Now I’m not saying that all female executives sting like a bee. And I’m not saying every female employee who works under a female manager is a victim. I AM saying I’ve seen it happen…and hell, might’ve personally experienced it.
Whatever happened to the bumper sticker, “GIRLS RULE!”??? Whatever happened to sistas lookin’ out for sistas??? Whatever happened to mentoring youger women in the workplace in order for us ALL to break through the glass ceiling? If we can’t be confident enough in ourselves, why subject others to our insecurities?
Let’s all go Netflix “Working Girl” and get inspired…
The Sticky Notes on My Mind... 
Please note that in the movie Working Girl, it was the female boss who undermined her subordinate. The heroine had to eventually go work for a man in order to get a head.
I’ve worked with good and bad bosses and I have to say the majority of the bad ones were women. I think eventually as women continue to progress in the workplace with more good examples of women in powerful positions, the queen bee syndrome will become less apparent.