Our expectations of leadership are masculine, when we evaluate men’s potential, we are much more likely to see them as a good fit. Women do not meet our masculine expectations, therefore the projection is never triggered.
This male bias in our cognitive processing of leadership potential is powerful. “Think manager, think male” means we can fail to see women’s leadership potential. In fact, research suggests that men and women behave very similarly in senior roles, but men routinely receive higher leadership ratings.
On today’s podcast, Lisa S. Kaplowitz, Executive Director at Rutgers Center for Women in Business will be joining us to discuss the harmful ways women have to change themselves to fit the ideal worker image, and organizations that devalue anyone who differs from it. In an article for Harvard Business Review entitled, 5 Harmful Ways Women Feel They Must Adapt in Corporate America Lisa and two co-authors share findings from their research, Lisa outlines what these adaptations are and why they are ultimately harmful.
She also leaves us with some actions to implement into our workplaces in order to bridge the gap in the devaluing of difference:
Action One: Be aware – Know what an ideal worker looks like when they show up in your workplace.
Action Two: Ask – Do not assume. Ask an employee how you can support them, what additional resources they might need and what help they may need to advance in their career or to get a project to completion.
Action Three: Ensure interactions are authentic, genuine and informal conversations.
Action Four: Give feedback. Honest feedback, without sugar coating. Allow feedback to be a conversation where all can have their say.
Rutgers Center for Women in Business
Lisa S Kaplowitz
Eve Rodsky – How To Find Greater Meaning In Life And Work
Michelle King – Do You Trust Your Workplace?
Minda Harts - How To Write A Book That Gets Published
Michelle King – How To Close The Graduate Skill Gap
Michelle King - How To Advance At Work Without Losing Yourself
Charlie Sull: Is Your Workplace Toxic?
Aneeta Rattan & Lily Jampol: Feedback - What’s Really Holding You Back At Work
What Not To Do This International Women’s Day
Lanaya Irvin: Who Benefits from DEI?
Emma Codd: While We Love Hybrid Working, We Can’t Ignore The Costs
Sarah Wittman: Why Changing Jobs, Changes How You See Yourself
Dr Michelle Harrison – Why Progress For Women Leaders Has Stalled
Dorie Clark – How To Change Your Career And Find Meaning At Work
Lily Zheng: The Three Reasons DEI Efforts Fail – Fatigue, Backlash and Denial
Colleen Ammerman: 3 Workplace Biases That Derail Midcareer Women
Laura Bates: How To Fix Systems Of Inequality
Dolly Chugh: How To Confront Whitewashed Histories
Political Masculinity: Why Women’s Rights Are Under Attack - Susanne Kaiser
All Talk and No Action: Why DEI efforts are falling short - Ann Francke
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