When did it become the norm for strong women to be seen as bossy while strong men are good leaders?
In a recent Wall Street Journal article, Sheryl Sandberg—Chief Operating Officer of Facebook—and Anna Marie Chavez—Chief Executive Officer of the Girl Scouts—discussed how it has become expected for males to be leaders, but when females strive for the same goal they are often disliked or ostracized. But with this biased expectation, how can women gain favor in leadership both socially and professionally?
Sheryl Sandberg, Chief Operating Officer of Facebook. (photo credit Creative Commons)
According to Sandberg and Chavez, the idea of male leadership dominance begins at an early age. They said that not only do teachers call more on boys in class, but also a study by the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health found parents of seventh-graders place a higher importance of leadership on their sons than daughters.
Anna Marie Chavez, Chief Executive Officer of the Girl Scouts. (photo credit Creative Commons)
For those young girls determined to defy norms and become leaders, Sandberg said they are labeled as “bossy.”
“As girls mature, the words may change, but their meaning and impact remain the same,” Sandberg said. “Women who behave assertively are labeled ‘aggressive,’ ‘angry,’ ‘shrill,’ and ‘overly ambitious.’ Powerful and successful men are often well liked, but when women become powerful and successful, all of us—both men and women—tend to like them less.”
This phenomenon prohibits women leaders from rising in ranks and achieving many of their leadership goals: Only 5 percent of Fortune 500 CEOs and 10 percent of heads of states are women.
However, as this issue is continually explored, studies have found that women in fact make the best leaders.
According to a study by Jack Zenger and Joseph Folkman, women out-scored men in 15 of the 16 competencies analyzed.
The study also cited that “at every level, more women were rated by their peers, their bosses, their direct reports and their other associates as better overall leaders than their male counterparts.”
According to Zenger and Folkman, women tend to perform better as leaders due to their strong ability to take initiative, build relationships, motivate others and maintain a high level of integrity and honesty.
While studies may indicate the benefits of women leaders, society is still taking its time to reverse the leadership stereotype.
“So-called bossy women make great leaders,” Sandberg said. “And we need great leaders. Our economic growth depends upon having women fully engaged in the workforce.”
epromanski 