Case Study 1: Linguistic Work in the Corporation

This chapter and the next explore some of the linguistic strategies female leaders have evolved to succeed in different types of corporation. I argue that senior women have developed a special kind of linguistic expertise or ‘work’ that they must do in order to be viewed by their peers and subordinates as effective leaders. It is likely that their male colleagues are entirely unaware of the extra linguistic work women do, as generally, they do not have to make this effort themselves. My research experience shows that women leaders demonstrate a much greater concern with the impact of their language on others than male leaders do (Baxter 2008). This is because male leaders do not need to have the same concern with the impact of their gender, particularly in male-dominated contexts. In many ways senior women have learnt to hone the ways in which they interact with colleagues on different levels and grades. However, this use of a special kind of linguistic expertise did not seem to affect relationships with clients to the same extent, where differences in role and relationship were more clearly contrasted and defined (ibid). In both Male-Dominated and Gender-Divided corporations, I argue that the need for linguistic expertise for senior women is essential for their survival but may well prove self-defeating in some contexts as we shall see. In the case study that follows, I consider the range of linguistic strategies that senior women from a number of top UK multinational companies say they use, and the perceived impact of this on their roles and performance as leaders. Based on this research evidence, I suggest that developing such linguistic expertise could support women performing senior management roles, especially in the Gender-Multiple corporation.