Three biases to break

In the last 8+ years of my career, I’ve been fortunate to work in supportive environments, with encouraging leaders who’ve not let ‘bias’ come in the way of my career growth or progression. And yet, I can think of multiple instances where I’ve experienced some form of gender bias in a work meeting, job interview or a group setting. Each time I reflect on this, I wonder “Is this my limiting self-belief manifesting itself OR does gender bias really exist?”

And then I read the numbers.

1. There are more male CEOs named Andrew than there are female CEOs leading ASX200 companies
2. For every 100 men promoted and hired for a manager role in the U.S. only 72 women are promoted and hired
3. At the current rate, gender equality in the highest positions of power in government, for instance, will not be reached for another 130 years
4. Women’s representation has increased across the leadership pipeline since 2016. However, women of colour remain significantly underrepresented in leadership?

Whilst these numbers do not take away from the limiting self-beliefs, in many ways they either reinforce internalised biases OR confirm the stark reality of gender bias.

?Here are 3 biases or stereotypes we ALL, including women need to be aware of and manage

1st: The tightrope between being seen as “too nice” to be competent or “too assertive” to be likeable

We’ve all heard that women who are too assertive tend to get backlash whereas men can assert themselves with impunity. You might even know a woman who has been told she is too aggressive or pushy. Yet women need to assert themselves to get ahead.

The original study of backlash found that women who were self-promoting (agentic) and men who were self-effacing (communal) both received negative judgements. The difference is that the solution is easier for men who want to attain leadership positions: be more agentic –?whereas for women, the solution is not so clear. To be seen as a competent leader, they must be agentic, but this results in backlash. If they behave communally instead, then they are liked, but do not appear as competent. So women find themselves having to constantly strike the right balance between being agentic and communal.

Whilst this may come naturally to some women, many others have to constantly remind themselves to regulate their behaviour. Can you imagine the impact this can have on wellbeing? It is no wonder that research by Mental Health UK revealed that nearly one in four working women in the UK feel unable to manage pressure at work, with only 44% confident that their employer has a plan in place to prevent them from burning out entirely.?According to McKinsey’s?Women in the Workplace study, the problem of burnout is escalating much faster among women than their male counterparts.

Perhaps, burnout isn’t just related to being over worked or having to balance multiple tasks but also?much influenced by the mental and emotional stress that women experience!

HOW CAN WE BREAK THIS BIAS?

Leaders, this is your role: Women have received many tips on how to disagree without seeming disagreeable or challenge without being too confrontational. I practice many of these myself and do believe that self-regulation (irrespective of your gender) is key to success. But perhaps, the onus shouldn’t be on women only??The leader’s role is equally important. And it isn’t just male leaders who need to be aware of biases, but women leaders too. Often, women leaders who are able to exhibit competence without being disliked, may not relate to the challenges that another woman with a different personality or internal disposition is going through. Studies?show that women who have encountered discrimination early in their career often distance themselves from other women with thoughts like “If I experienced the challenge, other women must go through it too.” This tug-of-war?is one of many ways in which gender bias can fuel conflict between different generations of women. It is critical for leaders to take steps to counteract biases, and encourage women to speak up, and as Sheryl Sandberg says “ask for a seat at the table.”

2nd: Opt-in, or expressed desire for leadership roles as a deterrent for women leaders

One of the reasons women are under-represented in leadership positions: they’re less likely to apply. Expecting people to make a case as to “why I should be promoted” reduces the number of women applying to leadership roles. Another research has also indicated that men?typically apply for jobs when they meet approximately 60% of the stated job criteria, but women typically won’t apply until they feel they meet 100% of the criteria.

HOW CAN WE BREAK THIS BIAS?

Change the default: Organisations can reduce the gender gap by changing the default. Instead of expecting people to opt-in for promotions, consider everyone who's qualified unless they opt out.

Begins with humans, not algorithms: When hiring to increase diversity, using algorithms may not be enough. We need to begin breaking the bias at every step of the employee lifecycle in an organisation. Imagine if an algorithm threw up a woman candidate as the head of data analytics. The new hire's success will be determined by the support she receives from colleagues, the leadership and the culture of the organisation. These are all HUMAN factors. Therefore, breaking the bias begins with humans not algorithms.

3rd: Internalised bias or prejudice

I write about internalised biases, because I see myself falling prey to this trap almost every other day.

We normally think of stereotypes as preconceived ideas we have about other people because of their gender, race, domestic situation, or other social identity. However, we also have stereotypes about ourselves because of our own social identities. Thus, we are likely to unconsciously hold assumptions about our own ability and potential too.

The concept of “stereotype threat” is often the trigger for self-limiting bias. For example, a stereotype threat is at play if a woman becomes anxious or uncertain about her abilities when expected to perform a task around which there are strong male stereotypes— e.g.: opting-in to a leadership role or self-promotion. Limiting self-beliefs combined with the stereotype threat lead to what is popularly known as the ‘imposter syndrome.’

HOW CAN WE BREAK THIS BIAS?

Given this is something I’ve either experienced or supported other young (high potential) women navigate, here are 3 Rs that can help

Reflect to increase awareness - It is essential to understand when and why you experience threats around stereotypes. If you can recognise the presence of stereotype threat, you will realise the anxiety you are experiencing has nothing to do with your lack of ability and is more about your personal preconceptions.?

Reframe the ‘differences’ - A second thing you can do to combat self-limiting bias is to view situations in which gender is highly salient through a non-gendered lens. Don’t think, “I am the only woman in this meeting,” but something like, “I am one of only two MBAs in this meeting” or “I am the most experienced person for this job.” In other words, in these situations,?think about your strengths, background, and potential – not your gender.

Relax – It is natural for a stereotype threat to cause an increase in cortisol (stress hormone) and impact our physiology and body language. The good news? – A difficult situation can have an adverse impact on our physiology BUT the reverse is true as well. Managing our physiology – through the right body postures, breath work, mindfulness, and smiling reduce the stress. So, the next time a limiting belief troubles you, remember – use your physiology to your advantage.?

Many of you reading this may be aware of these biases. Progress lies in being aware of these and taking ownership to support ourselves and other women (or men) who feel less 'included'. After all, the strength of diversity can only be experienced when every one of us is inclusive.

Happy International women's day. Together let's break the bias.

Sources:

• https://pragmaticthinking.com/blog/women-in-leadership-statistics/
• https://www.unwomen.org/en/what-we-do/leadership-and-political-participation/facts-and-figures
• https://www.lse.ac.uk/study-at-lse/online-learning/insights/banishing-backlash
• https://magazine.vitality.co.uk/women-are-at-most-at-risk-of-job-burnout-than-ever-before/
• https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2108337118
• https://bpspsychub.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1348/014466610X525280