Women at work can face a difficult social calculation when a colleague makes a pointed remark. Respond too sharply, and you may worry about being seen as difficult. Laugh it off, and you may feel you have accepted a comment that crossed a line.
But professionalism does not require you to smile through every uncomfortable exchange. You can be polite without agreeing with an insinuation. You can be direct without being insulting. And you can decide that a conversation is not worth pursuing without deciding that the remark was acceptable.
The next time someone says, “You got that promotion because you’re good at managing people,” pause before rushing to defend yourself. Ask what they mean, correct the implication if necessary, or return to the work at hand. You do not have to win the exchange. You just have to decide what you are willing to let pass.
