Core Concepts: The Language of Power - Why ‘Girls’ and ‘Boys’ Just Won’t Do
Knowing Self-Aware Leadership Minimalistical
Hello KSKOers
Nothing quite grates like hearing managers refer to their team as “the girls” or “the boys.” Maybe you’ve said it. Maybe you’ve heard it. Maybe you cringed when someone else did. It’s time we talked about why this kind of language belongs in the past and why the words we use as leaders matter.
Join me as we explore how everyday language shapes culture, mindset, and professionalism in our workplaces. You can read the full article here.
Looking forward to joining you on your learning journey!
Language Shapes Culture: What we say influences how people feel, act, and are perceived. Calling adults girls or boys unintentionally reinforces stereotypes and diminishes professionalism.
Sexism and Ageism in Disguise: Terms like “the girls” and “the boys” carry embedded assumptions about gender and age. These subtle biases can undermine individual identity and equal standing.
Unconscious Bias Still Has Impact: Even when there's no malice intended, the repetition of outdated terms reflects unconscious bias. Leaders must be aware of and challenge these habits.
Infantilising Language Hurts Performance: Calling a younger colleague “our kid” creates a culture of mothering and lowered expectations, it can contribute to disengagement and underperformance.
Professionalism Requires Intentional Language: Every employee is an adult, with responsibilities and rights. Language should reflect maturity, competence, and respect for everyone equally.
Double Standards Aren’t OK: If “our kid” is acceptable, why isn’t “our grandma”? Both are inappropriate in a professional context, and both highlight a double standard we need to confront and consign to the bin.
Leadership Sets the Tone: Leaders influence team culture not just through actions, but through words. Choosing thoughtful, inclusive language is part of good leadership.
Changing Habits Takes Practice: Shifting away from old terminology won’t happen overnight. It’s okay to slip up, as long as we course-correct and use the moment to reflect and open the discussion for more people to become aware.
Use Inclusive Alternatives: Use “the team,” “colleagues,” or - radical thought, people’s names! Person-first language shows respect and maturity and shifts little jobs to meaningful contributions.
The Last Word
When we call people girls or boys, we unwittingly carry forward age-old patterns of sexism and ageism. But leadership calls us to be better. Let’s swap matriarchal and patriarchal habits for language rooted in professionalism, equality, and personal accountability. Because when we change how we speak, we start to change how we lead and gives others the chance to thrive under our leadership.
Nia is an expert leader who talks the talk and walks the walk. She is an academically awarded thought leader in self-aware leadership and practices self-aware leadership every single day in her role as a Director in a Children’s Charity.
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