Leader Labyrinth at Work (L)
A-Z Series at Psychology@Work
We have heard the phrase “Glass Ceiling,” which was introduced in the 1980s and is used to represent the invisible barrier at the “Top” for women’s careers that prevent them from going up the ranks to top CEO level positions. This ceiling is made up of prejudiced stereotypes that prevent women from accessing power ranks. In recent times, when media covers the success of female CEOs and board members, they often speak about the “breaking of the glass ceiling.” Some now believe that there are cracks in the glass ceiling, which may soon disappear. I have serious issues with both the metaphor and the conclusion that “invisible barriers” are disappearing merely by looking at the data on the number of female CEOs. Let me explain.
One, the phrase “glass ceiling” denotes that barriers only exist for the top rank jobs and that there are no dead ends and obstacles for women lower in the corporate ranks, which is far from the truth. Second, just because a greater (still small) percentage of women are becoming CEOs and getting the top jobs in politics and business (as they should) does not imply that these women have not had to deal with and navigate twists and turns due to barriers. A better phrase to capture the struggles women face at work is the “leadership Labyrinth”- coined by Dr. Alice Eagly.
What is the Labyrinth for Women at Work?
In Greek mythology, Minotaur was a monster (the body of a man and the head of a bull) who was locked up in a labyrinth for 9 years. Theseus, the son of the King of Athens, wanted to enter the maze and slay the monster. A woman in this story, Ariadne, gives Theseus an idea to take a ball of red thread and unravel it as he enters the labyrinth to find his way back out. In the story, Ariadne does not dare enter and challenge the maze herself but is aware of the hidden detours and deadends.
Women at work are also aware of the many overt and strategically hidden obstacles in the career maze that prevent them from successfully navigating their career paths and reaching leadership positions of power and authority.
When we say women face a maze, they encounter more dead ends, detours, and unusual paths in organizations than men. It means that women have to “continually” juggle and navigate through more challenges (twists and turns) compared to men and these challenges are not just at the top (ceiling). The opposite of a labyrinth is a linear, straightforward path. Not all men have it easy, but it is comparatively more apparent to them the way forward for their success.
What are some of these challenges and obstacles?
Women face a double bind: Even in 2021, society and organizations hold prejudices and negative stereotypes about women. When people think of leaders, they associate the term “leader” with qualities such as being tough, assertive, ambitious, dominant, confident, charismatic, resourceful, and determined. The problem is not with having such an image/prototype of a leader. The problem is that these qualities are stereotypically associated with masculinity, and the world thinks they are lacking in women. Stereotypes drive expectations, and thus women who want to succeed want to break these stereotypes and show that they can be assertive, determined, and tough. But when they do so, they are disliked (Social Backlash Effect). In sum, as a woman, if you do not show these qualities - you are not good enough- not competent to lead. And if you show them, you are talented but not “woman enough” (not nurturing, communal and friendly) and thus not liked by others. Men do not face such a “double bind” challenge. In fact, men are appreciated when they show assertiveness, And liked, even more when they show feminine qualities like being nurturing, friendly and empathetic.
Women’s confidence is seen as a lack of humility while men’s is seen as charisma: Men are seen as charismatic when they show confidence, while when women own their expertise; talk about their achievements and display their strengths, they are more likely to be seen as non-humble and self-interested. Once again, the expectation from a woman is to be more other-oriented. Thus, the same level and behaviors of confidence like men - have a negative perceptual impact on women. Research shows that when men give instructions to their team, they are seen as efficient, but when women provide the exact instructions, they are disliked for not having more chit-chats and a warm tone of voice. This is another form of the “Backlash effect”- where women are penalized for not meeting the expected female stereotypes.
Career women face negative assessments about their other social roles: When a man misses a family get-together or cannot take their child to a birthday party due to work pressures, they are seen as “hard-working and busy.” But when a woman does not attend to the family or participate in child care and similar birthday celebration due to work pressures, she is seen as a “bad mother” and “bad wife/girlfriend.”
Being continuously careful can be tiring.
Part of the problem with the leadership labyrinth is that women have to continuously analyze what they are doing and how it may come across in contradictory ways. They have to be careful at every step, or else they will fall down the ranks in the ladder. The advantage for men is that they do not have to be preoccupied with such dilemmas, double binds, and backlash potentials. Men are advantaged because they have fewer things to think about, and they are rewarded for just being who they are.
What can women do to navigate the labyrinth?
Shed the stereotypes for each other and yourself: Women are not free of biases. They hold a similar pro-masculinity bias (less strong than men but in the same direction). Women also desire the same assertiveness and confidence when selecting team members and making performance evaluations for leadership positions. The first step is to acknowledge this and become more aware of your own biases. As women, we need to stop categorizing other women as “bossy” and “bitchy” when they show assertiveness. When we hear others using such phrases at work, we need to call out. What is unfortunate is that many women themselves believe that those who reach senior leadership positions suffer from the “queen bee” phenomenon. That is, we see these women as a separate breed of women - women who are “highly competitive”; “politically driven,” and “male-like”- thereby not wanting to associate with them. This kind of stereotyping and undermining of successful female leaders hurts us.
Women also need to become aware of the internal pressures unconsciously put on themselves. As women, you absorb not just the “male as leader” stereotype from society but also the stereotype of what it means “to be a woman.” In my own research, I find that women do not negotiate pay, promotions, and resources at work, because they feel less entitled and feel that it will come across as “being greedy” and “not nice.” These perceptions may or may not be accurate, but most women do not try because they are concerned in their own minds about not coming across as “selfish” and “unfriendly” to themselves. We need to have a broader definition of our own identity as women and allow for aspirations, ambitions, assertiveness to be positive qualities for ourselves. We also need to test our biases and identity definitions by collecting counter-evidence and noticing the “gender triggers” in the environment that make us more susceptible to these stereotypes.
Build affinity groups
A women affinity group is a practice of creating an inclusive environment, where women come together to understand each other’s struggles, become more aware of the systemic discrimination, and engage in supportive and collaborative problem-solving. Such groups can be beneficial for many reasons. You get to share your experiences, make sense, and problem-solve together. It allows for diversity in perspective that prevents you from blaming yourself for the lack of success and understanding more broadly how systemic biases (evident from similar experiences with other women) may be at play. In such groups, you also learn about how other women have navigated their mazes both at work and at home. For example, one thing interrupting women’s careers in the unfair division of household chores with their partners at home. Different women may offer creative solutions to how they have navigated the household work negotiations with their partners and kids. Women in such groups can also identify opportunities to build coalitions to initiate policy changes and impact through the power of numbers. Women may find mentors through such affinity groups who can support and sponsor them within the organizations.
In writing this blog post, my purpose was not to provide a comprehensive review of all gender biases that women face at work. There are great reviews on the topic that already exists. This article also takes a personal perspective to solve the leadership labyrinth. By doing that, I do NOT want to underestimate the need for systemic changes that organizations, workplaces, judicial, educational and political systems need to initiate. I hope the narrow but essential view into the “leadership labyrinth” that I have wished to provide here - enables you to think about this topic more deeply.