Title: Men, Women and Leadership: A Paradox in Public Attitudes
Study: Men or Women, Who’s The Better Leader? A Paradox in Public Attitudes (Taylor, Morin, Wang, Cohn, Clark. Pew Research Center Social and Demographic Trends, 2008)
Finding: Even though women are scored equal or higher on all measures of leadership characteristics, men still have the edge in the eyes of the public when it comes to who makes a “better leader.”
Note about The Woman Effect Research Index: This study was performed by researchers not affiliated with InPower Women. Our Research Index includes all relevant research to the subject of women, business and power. We do not influence how the research was conducted or reported by the researchers. In our abstracts, we focus on pulling out the most actionable advice for individual women. To suggest additional research we should index, or discuss our choice of abstract focus, please contact us
InPower Insight: Cultural attitudes are still shifting and the stereotypical views of women and men haven’t fully caught up with the reality that we live in every day.
Summary:
According to Pew Research, women outscore men in all but one category of “leadership characteristic” and yet 6% of the 2,250 adult interviewed believed that women would make better political leaders whereas 21% agreed that men would lead better.
Respondents cite reasons like such as gender discrimination, resistance to change, and male domination for why women have not advanced to higher- up executive positions. Thirty eight percent of respondents also thought that women were smarter than me. However, 44% believed that men were more decisive than women, and 33% said that women were more so. Women also dominated men in three major traits: compassion, outgoing disposition, and creativity.
Moreover, 69% of the respondents purported that women and men make equally good political leaders yet only 2% of CEOs of the nation Fortune 500 businesses are women, 17% of US House of Representatives; 16% of US senators; and 24% of state legislators. The US ranks only 85th in the world for gender inclusion its national legislative body. When asked about negative gender stereotypes, 85% of respondents agreed that women are more emotional than men and more than half say that they are more manipulative. Seventy percent believe that men are more arrogant. Women rate themselves more favorably for traits like honesty, intelligences, creativity, and compassion. Of all demographic groups, 78% of African American women say that women are more honest than men and 65% say women are smarter. Seven in ten older women compared to only 53% younger women believed that social change was still needed to ensure equal rights for women. Fifty- seven percent of adults believe that discrimination is still a problem for women while 63% says that racial discrimination is still a serious issue. Women were also twice as likely as men to name Hilary Clinton as a figure they admire the most.
Personal Coaching Tips: Here’s the thing, bias and stereotype is a part of life. The best personal strategy for how to deal with it is to be aware of two things: 1) Just because there’s a cultural stereotype about women and leadership out there, you don’t have to fit it. When you’re living your own values according to who you want to be, the people around you will more likely see you as an exception and give you credit. This study says people give credit based on actual behavior, even when they keep the stereotypes in their minds. 2) As you challenge the cultural stereotype, you give people reasons to change it. Also, this study was done on the entire population. Women hold these stereotypes themselves, so the most immediate way to begin to change the game is to look critically at your own stereotypes – for yourself and other women. Challenge them and change them in your own life. Others look to you for leadership on many things. Give them a good leadership stereotype for women and you’ll help yourself and other women at the same time.
Guide to Women in Leadership
Organizations with women in their executive suites regularly out-perform others. Yet rising female executives (and their mentors) are frustrated at how hard it is to break through the glass ceiling. In this extensive guide, Executive Coach Dana Theus shares her tried and true strategies to help women excel into higher levels of leadership and achieve their executive potential.
