The experiment: an all-female staff

A woman has the bright idea to hire only women for her new media startup. Hilarity ensues:

Five years ago, I was working as a TV executive producer making shows for top channels such as MTV, and based in Los Angeles. It sounds like a dream job and it could have been – if I’d been male. Working in TV is notoriously difficult for women. There is a powerful old boys’ network, robust glass ceiling and the majority of bosses are misogynistic males.

Gradually, what had started out as a daydream – wouldn’t it be great if there were no men where I worked? – turned into an exciting concept. I decided to create the first all-female production company where smart, intelligent, career-orientated women could work harmoniously, free from the bravado of the opposite sex.

Anyone who has any experience of women in the office can probably guess how well the experiment worked out, but the story really has to be read in order to appreciate the comedic fullness of the disaster. Her conclusion: “[I]f I were to do it again, I’d definitely employ men. In fact, I’d probably employ only men.”

Now, I don’t mind employing women myself; in certain detail-oriented roles I tend to prefer them. There are no shortage of women who make excellent employees, especially those whose personal strengths fit their responsibilities well. But these women usually tend to get along well with men and have no problem being held to objective standards. The problem is that the pettiness and narcissism to which many women are prone is an absolute workplace cancer, especially if a woman with such tendencies finds herself in a position of power over anyone.