I don’t believe that women lack the confidence to succeed in business. Instead, women seem to be more likely than men to think that others have lower confidence in their abilities, as I explored in a previous article.
Research published in Academy of Management Discoveries found that, despite persistent stereotypes, women are actually more likely to negotiate their salaries than men.
Research shows that men are promoted for leadership potential while women are promoted for performance. This is because managers tend to consistently underestimate women’s leadership potential.
It’s perfectly normal, and in fact quite healthy, to have some doubts or mild anxiety before starting a new role, for example. After all, this is what makes us human. By pathologizing it as a “syndrome” that is more likely to affect women, we are once again suggesting that women need to be fixed. By continuing to perpetuate these myths, the danger is that they become self-fulfilling.
“In politics, If you want anything said, ask a man. If you want anything done, ask a woman.”- Margaret Thatcher
Here’s a quick list of three remedies to start tackling gendered misconceptions and take the onus off women alone:
To reduce implicit or unconscious gender bias in hiring and promotion decisions, evaluate the merits of two or more applicants at the same time rather than assessing them one by one. Joint evaluations tend to compare candidates based on performance rather than any implicit gender basis.
With pressure for equal pay continuing to grow, there are now a number of non-profit organizations, such as the Equal Salary Foundation, that provide a certification process enabling companies to verify and communicate that they pay their male and female employees equally for the same job or for the same value.
Research has found that 62% of men had a mentor at the CEO or senior executive level compared to 52% of women.
Today’s workforce often includes a mix of permanent employees, freelancers, and outside contractors – but even organizations with mostly external workforces or highly autonomous workforces need proximity to succeed over the long...
Few things are scarier than being at the front of the room and losing your audience. Consult the checklist of questions below to understand why people are reacting negatively to what you...
Many CHROs have yet to understand the implications of GenAI for their employees. Test your knowledge of how it differs from ‘traditional’ forms and check out the tips on integrating GenAI tools...
Have you ever found yourself in a scenario when, as leader, you’re expected to know the answer to a question but don’t? In the second of a two-part series, Francesca Giulia Mereu suggests...
Thinking Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman
Today’s workforce often includes a mix of permanent employees, freelancers, and outside contractors – but even organizations with mostly external workforces or highly autonomous workforces need proximity to succeed over the long...
Few things are scarier than being at the front of the room and losing your audience. Consult the checklist of questions below to understand why people are reacting negatively to what you...
Many CHROs have yet to understand the implications of GenAI for their employees. Test your knowledge of how it differs from ‘traditional’ forms and check out the tips on integrating GenAI tools...
Have you ever found yourself in a scenario when, as leader, you’re expected to know the answer to a question but don’t? In the second of a two-part series, Francesca Giulia Mereu suggests...
Explore first person business intelligence from top minds curated for a global executive audience