We talk a lot about the boys’ club. But what happens when the person making work harder for a woman is another woman?

In this honest and thought-provoking conversation, Betsy sits down with organizational psychologist, leadership expert, and author Vanessa Vershaw to explore The Sisterhood Paradox—the complicated reality of women undermining, excluding, and sometimes bullying other women at work.

Vanessa explains why these experiences are often difficult to recognize and even harder to talk about. She shares the difference between a difficult colleague and a true workplace bully, why exclusion can be one of the most damaging forms of aggression, and what women can do when the person targeting them holds more power.

They also discuss why “women supporting women” cannot simply be a slogan, the importance of accountability, and what it will take to build stronger and more honest support systems for women.

Because the boys’ club may be real. But women still have work to do to build a stronger girls’ club.

Chapters

0:00 What Is the Sisterhood Paradox?

2:10 Why Women Are Afraid to Talk About It

5:29 Why Women Tear Other Women Down

6:16 What Female Bullying Looks Like at

9:06 When “Women Supporting Women” Isn’t Real

11:05 The Personal Cost of Workplace Bullying

14:45 Collaboration Over Competition

16:13 What Drives Mean-Girl Behavior

17:43 Being Difficult vs. Being a Bully

19:25 Exclusion: The Invisible Form of Bullying

20:12 Why Women Still Need to Enter Male-Dominated Rooms

23:05 What to Do When You’re Being Bullied

24:15 When It’s Time to Leave

27:28 Can a Workplace Bully Actually Change?

28:32 The Harsh Reality of Fighting Back

Links

Vanessa Vershaw

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