As a man I can hardly state that men are all great workers. However every place I’ve worked, including the present one, had different factions of women who were at extreme odds with each other. I know two ex close female friends who had their workplace friendship ended because one of them got somewhat better working hours. The bitterness I’ve witnessed between different female groups makes me conclude that the idea that females are more cooperative than males is bunk.
Women are more social, and will work together, but they are far far far more vindictive and petty.
Men will work with an enemy if it serves their needs at the time.. women, once they have been crossed, will never every work with that person again, no matter how much working with them may be needed. And will go out of their way to undermine them if they get the chance.
(Obviously this is a generalization, there are exceptions to all things, but this is definately the way things tend to be.)
Here's my example: Currently, my company is reallocating office space and giving up one-half of a floor in our building. Walking around on the remaining six full floors, it is obvious that we have an ample number of empty cubicles to accomodate that half-floor of workers.
So, we analyzed how the personnel of each department were currently sited in the worksace and came up with a tighter, more efficient configuration. And there was much rejoicing.
The back-slapping came to screeching halt when it was noticed that two departments (which logistically should be co-located), currently at opposite ends of the space that's being released, were going to be "next-door neighbors" in the new plan.
That wa unacceptable, because apparently the women who head up those departments are mortal enemies. Neither would consider being forced to work so near the other. Worse yet, management bowed to this nonsense and said "back to the drawing board".
I've worked with men who disliked one another, too - but never anything like this. It's like working for the Bureau of Prisons, having to keep a database of which people to keep separated.
Women at close quarters in an office is like their HS lavatory. The brutal establishment of their pecking order. (Those working hours were taken to be reflective of status.) I’m told that the same holds true for academics, bureaucrats, and the erstwhile ranks of middle managers who disappeared into the HQ’s of the larger Corporations during bygone days of overstaffing.
It’s a life-and-death struggle faught with pillows stuffed with marshmallows. The stakes are everything and nothing. Guys live with a strong sense of limits that were hard-learned. Every guy knows that ‘the Champ’ is always ‘the Champ’, even if he’s now a rum-dum. ANY man can be pushed too far, as too many acid-tongued women have learned to their last regret. Most grown MEN don’t STUMBLE into fights unless they’re flat out wasted.