Where a growing circle of business leaders comes to share, learn, and inspire organizations to put people first

Whirling Chief
Nº 111

Are Women and Men Equals in the Workplace?

By Fateme Banishoeib

No conversation about male/female equality can begin without first acknowledging the reality of ‘implicit bias.’ Let me share a personal story from a few years ago, which will help you understand what the role of implicit bias plays in our personal definition of equality. I was at the lead of a department in a global company based in the United States. I had just been appointed, and was ready to bring my excitement to every event I attended, especially to those organised by the company-dedicated group for women leaders. Their mission was to focus on strategies to advance women in leadership roles.

As a woman leader, it was my responsibility to create a change and foster an environment open for that change to happen. I worked on a proposal to portray women in leadership positions, to applaud them and, above all, to build a movement that valued the feminine traits in leadership. The goal was to shift perception and dialogue around how a woman is supposed to show up as a leader. A desire for authentic and inclusive leadership. I talked with various people and connected volunteers, supporters, and sponsors.

The day I would unveil the campaign had arrived. I entered the meeting room; the women-dedicated group panel was already there. I shook hands with everyone, connected my computer, and started my presentation with a background of photos I had taken of women leaders in the organization. The pictures portrayed them in their roles and work environment highlighting the traits they, themselves, considered as feminine and wanted to show more in the work they did.

As soon as I mentioned the word “feminine” and the need to show up in leadership with feminine traits, I noticed awkward movements of my audience and faces turning away. All signs of discomfort. I paused and asked if there were any questions. The leader of the group told me:

“You cannot mention the word feminine in public. We do not want you to take pictures of women portraying feminine traits of leadership. Maybe you could take pictures of them with their families.”

For months, I double guessed my judgement and thought maybe they were right and the word “feminine” wasn’t that important overall – the habit of questioning ourselves as women working in a male dominated environment – until one day I realised what this was all about: implicit bias and the need to see or identify with “feminine” only when it is reassuring, comforting, and not threatening. This example wasn’t only my personal perception, or an isolated case. There was a real closure towards feminine – a closure for which not only men are to be blamed.

I see similar reactions and patterns when reading articles on women in the business world, I often find myself (after the initial excitement vanishes) concerned about implicit bias.

I see a peculiar choice of words which gives me the impression that those women in the headlines are the passive receivers rather than the active authors of their career. Almost like an object which is made powerful by somebody else.

I think this is the result of the implicit bias we all carry. Yes, me included, and you who are reading, too. One of the main roadblocks to equality is implicit bias which, if not addressed, will continue to drive the way we do business and politics, and live our lives. The perfect example is a certain cultural bias that sees women as not eligible to take the power unless it is given to them. Unless somebody makes them powerful.

While equality is big among corporations and governments, there are still double standards aimed at women that are hard to get rid of, as they are part of our heritage and culture. I am sure that when asked, the vast majority of people believe women and men are equally capable of serving as top corporate leaders. Yet, we have to acknowledge that when male CEOs talk, it’s fair to say no one’s thinking instead about what he’s wearing.

There are studies which prove that the small number of female CEOs is due to the fact that women are held to higher standards than their male counterparts. Similarly, other research finds that female CEOs are far more likely to be pressured and second-guessed by shareholders than men occupying the same leadership position. Even today, after all the equal opportunity laws, professional women too often have to bring much more to the table than a man to get a job, higher pay, or simply recognition for achievements. Men and women may believe female leaders are just as qualified as their male peers, but certain stigmas persist. One of the reasons is that unconsciously we do not associate the word “leader” and its traits with “female.” Our bias sees female leaders as abnormal, and therefore they face more resistance than men in leadership roles. Assertive women are punished for being unfeminine; women who conform to stereotypes are deemed too meek for top jobs. We must admit our own expression of discomfort with women in positions of power to get past it. If you are now telling yourself that you have no discomfort or bias, let’s all do a quick test together. Close your eyes and picture a CEO. Is that person wearing a suit or a dress? Chances are, you’re not picturing a lady.

There is a current predominant focus on the numbers, on the “how many” women, nationalities, age representations, you name it, rather than on inclusion. It has become a battle of numbers that in my view will increase the gap as it does not address the real issue: lack of inclusion.

We have the responsibility to acknowledge and discover our own biases, and call each other out if we want to become more inclusive. Inclusion must be an intentional choice.

We, as women, do play a crucial role in it. The real questions to be asked are about a system and a model that is not inclusive. How did we fall into the trap of that model? How many women have encountered resistance in corporate jobs by showing feminine traits and how many have succeeded instead by neglecting their feminine side? Do we think that portraying “feminine traits” is highlighting how many children a woman in a leadership position has?

For one moment I ask you to forget about the number of women on your team, and instead go talk to them about feminine traits in leadership. Are you comfortable discussing this? Are these women comfortable talking about it, and do they give their definition of what feminine traits looks like in the workplace?

I do not think we can close the gender gap by counting how many female CEOs there are in the world. A better question would be what is their definition of a “feminine leader,” and how much did they have to carve out to get where they are? How hard did they have to push appearing “abrasive” or “aggressive” (what we typically call a woman in business who had to avoid being feminine to fit in)?

There is only one way to reach equality and that is inclusion – inclusion of both feminine and male traits into a business model that values those traits as equally important and necessary in a leader, regardless of gender.

Date

  • 8 May 2017

Add a Comment

I simply want to tell you that I am just all new to blogging and certainly enjoyed your blog. Likely I’m planning to bookmark your blog post . You surely come with awesome posts. Cheers for revealing your blog site.

see it here says:

Thanks for your blog post. I would also like to say that the health insurance broker also works well with the benefit of the coordinators of a group insurance policy. The health insurance agent is given a listing of benefits searched for by individuals or a group coordinator. What a broker may is look for individuals or perhaps coordinators which usually best match up those requirements. Then he provides his ideas and if both parties agree, the actual broker formulates a contract between the two parties.

http://repairmanuals.net

John Deere Repair Manuals says:

magnificent points altogether, you just received a logo new reader. What might you recommend in regards to your submit that you made a few days in the past? Any certain?

Thank you for any other fantastic post. Where else may just anybody get that kind of information in such a perfect way of writing? I’ve a presentation next week, and I’m at the search for such information.

We are a group of volunteers and starting a new scheme in our community. Your web site offered us with valuable info to work on. You’ve done an impressive job and our entire community will be thankful to you.

Thanks for some other informative website. The place else may I am getting that kind of information written in such a perfect method? I’ve a mission that I am just now running on, and I’ve been at the glance out for such information.

We’re a group of volunteers and opening a new scheme in our community. Your site provided us with valuable information to work on. You’ve done a formidable job and our whole community will be grateful to you.

You made some good points there. I did a search on the topic and found most individuals will go along with with your site.

Awesome write-up. I’m a regular visitor of your blog and appreciate you taking the time to maintain the nice site. I’ll be a frequent visitor for a long time.

What i don’t realize is in fact how you’re not actually a lot more smartly-preferred than you might be right now. You’re so intelligent. You understand therefore significantly with regards to this matter, made me in my view believe it from numerous various angles. Its like men and women aren’t interested until it is something to accomplish with Woman gaga! Your individual stuffs great. All the time handle it up!

I haven¡¦t checked in here for some time because I thought it was getting boring, but the last several posts are good quality so I guess I will add you back to my daily bloglist. You deserve it my friend 🙂

I wish to express my admiration for your generosity in support of those individuals that should have help with this important study. Your real commitment to passing the solution all-around had become unbelievably valuable and has frequently permitted individuals like me to get to their dreams. Your amazing warm and friendly suggestions implies much a person like me and even further to my office workers. Warm regards; from everyone of us.

Hiya, I’m really glad I have found this information. Today bloggers publish just about gossip and web stuff and this is actually irritating. A good website with exciting content, this is what I need. Thank you for making this web-site, and I’ll be visiting again. Do you do newsletters by email?

Hi there. I discovered your site by the use of Google whilst searching for a similar subject, your website came up. It appears good. I have bookmarked it in my google bookmarks to visit then.

Hiya, I am really glad I have found this information. Nowadays bloggers publish only about gossip and net stuff and this is really annoying. A good web site with exciting content, this is what I need. Thank you for making this web-site, and I’ll be visiting again. Do you do newsletters by email?

Hey there. I discovered your blog via Google while looking for a comparable subject, your site came up. It appears to be good. I have bookmarked it in my google bookmarks to visit then.

Hiya, I’m really glad I have found this info. Today bloggers publish just about gossip and net stuff and this is actually annoying. A good website with exciting content, that’s what I need. Thank you for making this web-site, and I’ll be visiting again. Do you do newsletters by email?

judi poker says:

Awesome write-up. I am a regular visitor of your blog and appreciate you taking the time to maintain the nice site. I will be a frequent visitor for a long time.

hello there and thank you for your info – I’ve definitely picked up anything new from right here. I did however expertise a few technical points using this website, since I experienced to reload the site a lot of times previous to I could get it to load correctly. I had been wondering if your web hosting is OK? Not that I am complaining, but sluggish loading instances times will often affect your placement in google and could damage your high quality score if ads and marketing with Adwords. Anyway I am adding this RSS to my e-mail and can look out for much more of your respective exciting content. Make sure you update this again soon..

hi!,I love your writing very much! proportion we keep in touch extra about your article on AOL? I need a specialist on this area to resolve my problem. May be that is you! Taking a look ahead to see you.

Pets says:

Useful info. Lucky me I found your web site unintentionally, and I am shocked why this twist of fate did not happened earlier! I bookmarked it.

you’re in reality a just right webmaster. The website loading speed is amazing. It kind of feels that you’re doing any unique trick. Also, The contents are masterwork. you have performed a wonderful activity in this subject!

Hiya, I am really glad I have found this information. Nowadays bloggers publish only about gossip and internet stuff and this is really frustrating. A good web site with interesting content, that is what I need. Thank you for making this website, and I will be visiting again. Do you do newsletters by email?

Hello there. I found your site via Google whilst looking for a related topic, your site came up. It seems to be great. I have bookmarked it in my google bookmarks to come back then.

Awesome write-up. I’m a normal visitor of your web site and appreciate you taking the time to maintain the excellent site. I will be a regular visitor for a long time.

Hiya, I’m really glad I’ve found this info. Nowadays bloggers publish just about gossip and net stuff and this is really irritating. A good website with interesting content, that’s what I need. Thank you for making this site, and I will be visiting again. Do you do newsletters by email?

Why users still use to read news papers when in this technological world all is available on net?
Maglia valencia

Juliane says:
You might also like reading: