Women are expected to be “liked” to thrive professionally, while men can act like absolute jerks without facing the same scrutiny. A recent study reveals that women must often juggle being pleasant and well-received to gain influence at work. It appears that the popularity contests of high school never truly end; they simply transition into the workplace.
Study Overview
Conducted by researchers from the European School of Management and Technology in Berlin and the IE Business School in Madrid, the study surveyed 200 engineers—both male and female—working in teams at a global tech firm. Supervisors provided feedback on employees’ confidence, competence, and influence.
The Challenges Women Face
Women face enough challenges in their careers, from navigating the gender pay gap to dealing with constant interruptions and being talked over in meetings. Unlike men, women are often judged on their likability and warmth, while men just need to demonstrate competence to be perceived as confident. The findings suggest that for women to be respected and influential, they must also show kindness and empathy—traits that are stereotypically expected of them.
The Frustrating Double Standard
This double standard creates a frustrating environment where women are pressured to embody traditionally feminine qualities while also needing to display confidence and assertiveness, which are often associated with masculinity. The research indicates that high-performing women struggle more than their male counterparts to exert influence unless they also prioritize the interests of others, as society expects them to.
A Tiring Expectation
In essence, to succeed, women are caught in a bind where they must channel the nurturing qualities of a 1950s homemaker while also exuding the strength commonly attributed to men. It’s a tiring and inequitable expectation.
You can strive to embody both kindness and confidence, but the reality is that men can opt for the latter without needing to worry about being liked. This just reinforces how exhausting and unfair the workplace dynamics can be for women.
Further Reading
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Conclusion
In summary, the workplace remains a challenging arena for women, who must navigate a web of expectations that often require them to be both warm and competent to succeed, while men can simply excel at their tasks and be deemed confident.