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Gender in the Workplace

Gender in the Workplace . Dr. Heidi Strobel & Professor Meg Atwater-Singer . Women Working Outside the Home. Detail from Winslow Homer etching of women filling cartridges at the U.S. Arsenal in Watertown, MA; Harper’s Weekly cover , July 20, 1861. The 20 th Century.

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Gender in the Workplace

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  1. Gender in the Workplace Dr. Heidi Strobel & Professor Meg Atwater-Singer

  2. Women Working Outside the Home Detail from Winslow Homer etching of women filling cartridges at the U.S. Arsenal in Watertown, MA; Harper’s Weekly cover, July 20, 1861

  3. The 20th Century 19th Amendment extended suffrage to women Proposed June 4, 1919 & Ratified Aug. 18, 1920

  4. Double bind: femininity quotient Does this still exist today?

  5. Inroads made during the Depression and World War II Real increases after Title IX

  6. Biology v. Gender • Biology = physical body • Gender = social organization of sexual difference

  7. Intelligent Courageous Honest Machismo Potent sexuality Affinity for violence Provider Ambitious Confident Competent Strong Masculinity

  8. Soft Passive Domestic Nurturing Emotional Dependent Sensitive Delicate Intuitive Fastidious Needy Fearful Femininity

  9. Women’s Double Bind • Madonna • Chaste, domestic, caring mother • Whore • Sexy, seducing, fun-loving playmate

  10. Smart Competent Independent Beautiful Thin Sexy Loving Sensitive Competent domestically Emotionally healthy Contemporary’s Ideal Woman

  11. Consulting Delegating Influencing Upward Inspiring Others Intellectually Stimulating Mentoring Monitoring Networking Planning Problem-Solving Rewarding Role Modeling Supporting Team-Building Key Leadership Skills

  12. Think-Leader-Think-Male • Women are ATYPICAL leaders • Gender stereotypes • Emphasize “natural differences” • Mutually exclusive • Men & women are more similar than different • More variation among women than between women & men

  13. Numbers at a Glance • 50.6 % • all management & professional positions held by women in 2005 • 1.8 % • Fortune 500 CEOs who were women in 2006 • 0.7 % • Increase in women’s representation in Fortune 500 companies from 2002-2005

  14. Some Corporate Practices • Gender Discrimination Lawsuits in last 10 year • Walmart, Home Depot, Lucky Stores, and Smith Barney • 2004: Walmart vs. 1.6 million plaintiffs

  15. Potential Corporate-Gender Pitfalls • “Women don’t want this kind of work” • Gender-associated stereotypes in evaluations • “a sweet person” • Influence of job assignments, training, or promotions • Existence of gender-segregated job ladders or career paths • No incentives for bias-free decision-making • Disparate opportunities for advancement & pay for equal skills

  16. Catalyst’s Damned & Doomed • Extreme Perceptions • High Competence Threshold • Competent but Disliked

  17. Extreme Perceptions • Too Soft • Acting in gender-consistent ways • Cooperative, relationship-focused manner • Not a leader • Too Hard • Acting in gender-inconsistent ways • Authoritative, ambitious, task-focused • Leader-like, not ladylike

  18. High Competence Threshold • Prove again & again • More time and energy than male counterparts • Manage stereotypical expectations • Work harder to prove equal competence

  19. Competent but Disliked • Social disapproval • Less likely to trust or follow instructions • Less effective • Less personable • Less likely to exert interpersonal influence • Appreciated for leadership style or interpersonal style – not both

  20. Women Leaders’ Strategies • Talk Openly • Show them Otherwise • Use Clear & Effective Communication • Minimize the Issue

  21. Talk Openly • Immediately confront the inequitable situation • Clearly communicate concerns • Note when a comment/behavior is inappropriate • Do not discount your own feelings or perceptions • Address assumptions to create awareness

  22. Show them Otherwise • Show your competence • Be consistent • Be visible, seek high-level assignments • Speak up at meetings • Find a mentor

  23. Clear & Effective Communication • Let people know what you want • Ask questions • Be diplomatic • Learn the jargon

  24. Minimize the Issue • Learn to ignore gender and act in gender-neutral ways • Reframe the issue to your advantage • Adapt yourself to the context

  25. Recognizing Current Limitations • Women now comprise a majority of college graduates • Underrepresented in leadership positions • Held to a different standard (Clinton)

  26. Conclusions • No single “woman’s point of view” • Acknowledge gender’s role • Push for alternative (nonlinear) career path options

  27. Conclusions • Groups emphasize preexisting gender inequities more than independent projects • Gender differences impact leadership positions • Mix assertion with sociability

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