#11
Successful women are seen as less likeable.
People judge women to be less competent than men in ‘male’ jobs unless they are clearly successful. However, when a woman is clearly competent in a ‘masculine’ job, she is considered to be less likeable to men. Because both likability and competence are vital for success in the workplace, women in STEMM fields often find themselves in a double bind.
RESEARCH.
Penalties for success: Reactions to women who succeed at male gender-type tasks
Heilman ME, Wallen AS, Fuchs D, and Tamkins MM. (2004). Journal of Applied Psychology. 89:416–427.
https://www.researchgate.net/deref/http%3A%2F%2Fdx.doi.org%2F10.1037%2F0021-9010.89.3.416
What “blindness” to gender differences helps women see and do: Implications for confidence, agency, and action in male dominated environments
Time spent adapting to work expectations can have resource implications. To manage the competence–likeability trade-off, women may downplay femininity, or try to soften a hard-charging style, or attempt to strike a perfect balance between the two. But overinvestment in one’s image diminishes the emotional and motivational resources available for larger purposes. People who focus on how others perceive them are less clear about their goals, less open to learning from failure, and less capable of self-regulation.
MEDIA.
Not Very Likeable: Here Is How Bias Is Affecting Women Leaders
FORBES – Lack of women leadership means that women can often face more bullying in the workplace, the workforces is less diverse at the top, and that the mental well-being of female employees can suffer too as they feel discriminated against and do not have the same opportunities to progress. The lack of women leaders also creates a paucity of role models that can inspire other women to enter and stay in the workforce.
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STRONGERTOGETHER
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