ajcjobs > BlogBreak > Archives > 2007 > December > 21 > Entry
Workers’ Christmas wish: A boss with feminine touch?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
In the past, women’s leadership has fallen into two distinct categories: leadership in roles already perceived as innately feminine (like teacher or care-taker…think Mrs. Claus) and roles in which women have set new precedents themselves, forging new ground in order to get ahead.
With all the enormous strides for women at work, the corporate world has been fraught with ambiguity for many females. Often woman in leadership still believe their careers are colored by their gender. Most women with corporate authority have felt pressured to leave their femininity at home. Many women have had to work against ‘stereotypes’ and be careful not to be perceived as “weak” in the work force. With a large segment of society still associating bravery with masculinity, even today women have to guard against being singled-out unfairly, or have their failings be written off as gender-specific.
However, the tides may have turned and the feminine touch may be just want workers are wishing for this holiday. Recently on Good Morning, America a test group of prospective employees received short bios and chose who they would rather work for out of three possible executives. The first was the bio of a man who was a corporate all-star, having catapulted to the top of his profession. The second was the bio of a woman with the exact same success story, only the name was changed. The participants who received that woman’s bio tended to perceive her as harsh and a potentially unpleasant person to work with.
More significantly, there was a third bio of another woman. This woman’s profile was, nearly word-for-word; the same story of fast corporate advancement, but phrases had been inserted about this woman’s nurturing, team-building, and encouraging leadership style. Guess what? Participants responded with resounding favor about wanting to work with this third person.
It certainly challenges the stereotype of old that women who are successful must be unfeminine. On the contrary, this woman’s potentially ‘feminine traits,’ instead of detracting from her strength as a leader, were contributing to her authority. The participants saw her as someone under whose direction they could thrive. She was not seen as an “easy boss” but rather as a “dynamic” professional.
Women’s particular strengths, in combination with intellect and experience, continue to break down barriers and to challenge the definition of a “woman’s place” in the world. The question is if you are asking Santa to bring you a new boss, do you prefer a male or female?
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