Becoming a Successful Corporate Character and the Role of Emotional Management

Open up any professional business magazine, peruse the list of any top 100 companies, or walk in to a board room anywhere in the world and almost certainly you can expect to see men in suits and a smattering of women. This division of labour seems so natural in corporate life that if one were to see the reverse, questions would be asked. Historically speaking, the credentials that have driven corporate life and allowed men to rise to the top have fitted well with a masculine identity and so the dominance of men in business is not really surprising. However, for contemporary managers, a new set of required credentials and competencies is emerging, and to ensure their career success, the performance of competencies around the 'soft' skills of communication and passion are the new currency. Emotion has come centre stage. Consequently, it might seem likely that the absence of women in the senior ranks of business will change.