Working Girls

Last night a bunch of us iVillagers attended a GE Women in Business event at Rockefeller Center. We went because it was in Studio 8H, which is where SNL is taped, and because there were good snacks. I mean! Because some very estimable women who run businesses within GE were there, talking candidly about what it takes to make it in business, how women communicate differently than men, and of course that age-old question – how can women balance work and family?

One thing all these women agreed on was that none of it worked 100% of the time, and that they had to accept that they couldn’t do it all themselves. And they all spoke of the importance of a supportive spouse.

So what if your spouse feels threatened by your successes, instead of being supportive?

toomanyquestions asks the Guy Talk board: “What's wrong w/my husband?”

Here’s her story: “I really need some help with this one. I just don't know how to read my husband right now. Here's some background info: We've been married for 4 years and together for 7. We are in a new city and both of us have lost weight and feeling good about ourselves. My husband tells me how beautiful I am and great I look. I just jumped into a new career (and work with tons of guys all the time, day in and out, which doesn't bother me). I have been doing a lot of work emotionally and mentally on myself and have been becoming more and more confident in myself and this new career move...Well, recently it seems like not a day goes by when my husband doesn't say, ‘You're gonna leave me for another guy.’ ‘You're gonna be rich and leave me for another gu.’…Is he feeling insecure with the recent changes in my life and unsure of his?...He's also been saying things about my job and exams that I need to take, like I better not fail and there's no option to fail.”

firstamendment suggests, “If you are feeling additional pressure from his comments about not failing, then ask him if he can find a way to make supportive comments instead of biting ones.”

cl-orangecuse44 writes: “The two of you are insecure and insecure-er. My guess is he does say these things based on his insecurities.”

dakine001: “What he's doing is emotionally abusing you, because of his insecurity, and he needs to know that.”

Why does this man undermine his spouse? What should she do about it? Does having an unsupportive spouse make it more difficult to succeed and excel?

And I wonder what they did with the leftover snacks?