Leadership Expectations And The Negative Impact Of Gender Bias For Women Essay
2039 Words9 Pages
Leadership Expectations and the Negative Impact of Gender Bias for Women
Kimberly N. Ramirez
ORGL4400-A Contemporary Issues in Organizational Leadership
Elizabeth M. Stork, Ph.D.
Robert Morris University
December 16, 2016
Abstract
As society moves away from authoritative leadership and into transformational leadership style preferences that grant wider success of employee retention, morale, and growth, women’s natural skill sets are demonstrably more successful in filling the job. However, women continue to be deeply underrepresented in higher levels of public and private organizations. Exploring the complex nature of gender stereotypes and how they perpetuate female inequality in leadership opportunities, this paper explores why this continues, who is at risk, and how women are better cut-out for the job.
Keywords: women, leadership, expectation, stereotypes Leadership Expectations and the Negative Impact of Gender Bias for Women
“[When] no information about performance was given, females were perceived to be less competent and less likely to succeed in a male sex-typed job,” (Scott, 2005, p. 2). The stigma against women in non-traditional roles run deep and wide. Despite a longstanding struggle of earning equality in comparison to their male counterparts, females continue to wrestle to achieve an equivalent social standing, especially with regards to leadership capabilities and opportunities. The question then remains: are men actually better leaders than women?
Gender stereotypes is perceptions and attitudes in which society utilizes to evaluate bias and negative characteristics, positions, roles, and capabilities of males or females. Gender stereotypes create pressure for both men and women. Expectations from society create limitations and often form a gap between men and women by the difference in perceptions, evaluations, and behaviors. In today’s supposedly civilized society, we are induced not to discriminate people. However, society has high expectations
fewer women hold high-status positions than men in multiple fields. Women made-up 55.5 % of the United States population, but hold only 19.6 % of seats on the U.S Congress, 4.6% of CEO positions (S&P 500 companies), and 13.2% of superintendent positions. Why is this? Many people believe that women are intellectually inferior, and/or lack the desire to reach the top. However, they are misguided. The disproportionate number of women in prominent positions is a result of traditions of gender socialization
belief that women are weaker, less intelligent, and less important than men” (Longman, 1995).Sexism is defined “as a negative attitude or discriminatory behavior based on the presumed inferiority or difference of women as a group” (Cameron, 2001).Cornell (as cited in Trujillo, 1991, p. 290) defines hegemonic masculinity as “the culturally idealized form of masculine character” which underlines “the connecting of masculinity to toughness and competitiveness” and “the subordination of women.” Cornell
Historical Perspective
Women entered the labor workforce in large numbers in the 1940s, yet over 70 years later debates over leadership effectiveness and gender differences are still ongoing. Through ingrained global and organizational biases, stereotypes, and conditioning, men and women are expected to bring bring two different skill sets to the boardroom.
Looking at the significant body of research on the topic of gendered leadership, the overwhelming opinion is that men and women are thought to behave
Early in life, children develop gender identities, and in our culture there are stereotypes that children pick up on because its seen as the “norm”. Males are supposed to be independent and competitive while females are more passive and supportive. Teachers can often impose these stereotypes onto their students, meaning no harm, but in the long run these gender roles can impact their future.
Kohlberg was one of the first educational theorists to address gender as a learned, cognitive concept
regardless of their gender or age. However, diversity has failed to take root in most organizations due to the discrimination launched against women in the workplace. This is because many doubt whether women have the capacity to be leaders. Also, this promote gender bias because of the negative performance expectations that result from the perception that there is a poor fit between what women are like and the attributes believed necessary for successful performance in male gender typed positions and
Gender inequality has become one of the oldest issues throughout society. Gender inequality can be described as unequal treatment or specific perceptions based on an individual’s gender. In most cases, it has developed over time with the socially constructed gender roles the society portrays. It was said “Nearly one-third of women said they feel discriminated against or treated unfairly based on their gender at least once a week." Opportunities are wasted if stereotypes and biases evaluate people
population women hold only 19.6 % of seats on the U.S Congress, 4.6% of CEO positions (S&P 500 companies), and 13.2% of school superintendent positions? Many people believe that women are intellectually inferior, and/or lack the desire to reach the top. However, these individuals are misguided in their belief about the professional and interpersonal strengths that most women possess. The disproportionate number of women in prominent positions is a result of a historical tradition of gender socialization
Gender inequality has been a long standing issue throughout history. While for some people there is no gender inequality at the workforce some studies and research have shown the contrary. Despite the effort to combat gender discrepancies at the workplace gender equity has yet not being reached. Gender itself plays an important role at the workforce because some people stereotype a person according to their gender and not by their capacity. Stereotypes are characteristics attributed to people based
Justify the Study 6
Research Questions 7
Definition of Terms 8
Summary 8
Section 2: Literature Review 9
Theme 1 - Stereotyping 9
Theme 2 - Leadership Qualities 12
Theme 3 - Personality Attributes 14
Theme 4 - Family vs. Career 15
Summary 17
Section 3: Analysis 17
Relevant Facts About Praising the Efforts of all Succesful Employees 17
Detailed Information on Gender Stereotyping and Workplace Female Discrimination 19
Analysis of the Causes and Effects of Workplace Female Discrimination 20
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