Women Rising - THE FEMALE CONUNDRUM IN LEADERSHIP (Harvard Business Review, September 2013)

Persistent gender bias too often disrupts the learning process at the heart of becoming a leader

Culled by Adil Ahmad for publication in TCS CONNECT Corporate Magazine 

(January 2014, Vol 13 Issue 1)

In its September 2013 issue the Harvard Business Review featured an article titled ‘WOMEN RISING: The Unseen Barriers’, authored by Herminia Iharra, Robin Ely, and Deborah Kolb. Their findings are sobering and provide much food for thought for women in the workplace.

Integrating leadership into one’s core identity, say the authors, is particularly challenging for women, who must establish credibility in a culture that is deeply conflicted about whether, when and how they should exercise authority. “Practices that equal leadership with behaviors considered more common in men suggest that women are simply not cut out to be leaders. Furthermore, the human tendency to gravitate to people like oneself leads powerful men to sponsor and advocate for other men when leadership opportunities arise.”

The authors have found that many CEOs who make gender diversity a priority by setting aspirational goals for the proportion of women in leadership roles, and develop mentoring and training programs, are frustrated. They and their companies spend time, money and good intentions on efforts to build a more robust pipeline of upwardly mobile women, and then not much happens.

“It’s not enough to identify and instill the ‘right’ skill sets and competencies as if in a social vacuum. The context must support a woman’s motivation to lead, and also increase the likelihood that others will recognize and encourage her efforts, even when she doesn’t look or behave like the current generation of senior executives.” Traditionally high potential mentoring and leadership education programs are necessary but not sufficient.

Behavior considered assertive in a man is seen as aggressive in a woman and thus denigrated rather than rewarded. There is a paucity of role models for women whose styles and behaviors aspiring leaders can experiment with and emulate. Fewer female leaders means fewer role models, and can suggest to young would be leaders that being a woman is a liability, thus discouraging them from viewing senior women as credible sources of advice and support.

Research indicates that organizations tend to ignore or under value behind-the-scenes work like building a team or avoiding a crisis, which women are more likely to do, while rewarding heroic work which is most often done by men. A vicious cycle ensues. Men appear to be best suited to leadership roles, and this perception propels more of them to seek and attain such positions, thus reinforcing the notion that they are simply better leaders.

In most cultures masculinity and leadership are closely linked. The ideal leader, like the ideal man, is seen as decisive, assertive and independent. In contrast, women are expected to be nice, caretaking and unselfish.

The mismatch between conventional feminine qualities and the qualities thought necessary for leadership puts female leaders in a double bind. Women who excel in traditionally male domains are viewed as competent but less likable than their male counterparts.

Behaviors that suggest self-confidence or assertiveness in men often appear arrogant and abrasive in women. Meanwhile, women in positions of authority who enact a conventionally feminine style may be liked but are not respected. They are deemed too emotional to make tough decisions, and too soft to be strong leaders.

Eight leading CEOs perceived a distinction between male and female leadership styles. Though social scientists may not agree with their take on things, the CEOs said that women were less political, less likely to define themselves by their careers, more collaborative, better listeners, more relationship oriented, and more empathetic and reasonable. Women were also more likely to focus on completing the job at hand, and to neglect to position themselves for recognition or promotion, while men were more apt to seek attention.

“When you have a complex project involving multiple layers, you need a leader who is collaborative, and more often than not I found that leader to be a woman. The very thing that makes the best female leaders very successful also makes them less visible,” says George Halvorson of Kaiser Permanente, the California based managed care consortium.

David Thodey  of Telstar, the Australian Telecom is of the view that in an inclusive culture employees know that, irrespective of gender, race, creed, sexual orientation, and physical ability, you can fulfill your personal objectives by aligning them with the company’s, and have a rich career and be valued as an individual. “You are valued for how you contribute to the business.”

The authors conclude that effective leaders develop a sense of purpose by pursuing goals that align with their personal values and advance the collective good. This allows them to look beyond the status quo to what is possible, and gives them a compelling reason to take action despite personal fears and insecurities. Such leaders are seen as authentic and trust-worthy because they are willing to take risks in the service of shared goals. By connecting others with a larger purpose, they inspire commitment, boost resolve, and help colleagues find deeper meaning in their work. Indeed.