Stereotyping hurts both women managers and the organisation
Many women experience how stereotypic behaviours inhibit their status in the workplace, and their ability to progress their careers. Women can be overlooked for promotion and professional development, receive less compensation, and have their opinions ignored.
Stereotyping is not only problematic for the individual whose careers it affects. It is also problematic for the organisation who risk demotivation of their woman managers leading to them seeking alternative career paths.
Organisational policies and awareness raising initiatives are not enough
Attempts have been made by organisations to deal with stereotypes, but they are not working:
- Some organisations try to implement policies to counter stereotyping and its negative effects. However, such initiatives do not tackle the underlying cultural issues and lead to disconnection between policy and practice on the ground.
- Some organisations attempt to address stereotyping through awareness raising initiatives. However, even if managers in an organisation rationally understand the negative effects of stereotyping – stereotypes still persist as they are often ‘unconscious’ in nature influencing individuals’ daily behaviours and actions in practice.
- Many women try to deal with stereotyping on their own by adapting their leadership style and public image to one they perceive to be more like their male colleagues. However, this can lead to challenges in organisational relationships and give women in management positions a sense of working with a permanent disadvantage.
To deal efficiently with the issue of stereotyping, policies and awareness raising are not enough, and neither is the emulation of male stereotypes by women. Women managers need tools they can use to deal with stereotyping and its effects both externally and internally.
In this workshop, Dr. Gillian Danby and Dr. Claus Springborg will help women managers connect with capacities they inherently possess, that will enable them to cut through stereotyping without having to modify or hide aspects of themselves related to their gender.