Explore the concept of the leadership labyrinth and its implications for women in the workplace. Learn how unconscious gender biases and societal stereotypes hinder women's progression through lower-ranked positions and executive roles. Discover strategies to dismantle these barriers, including fostering male allyship, reflecting on privilege, and promoting gender equality in leadership.
The term, glass ceiling, is one I have become very familiar with throughout my educational and professional career. Glass ceiling refers to an invisible barrier that deters women from progressing to executive positions in the workforce. Although this term is dominantly discussed in today’s society, I argue that it is not an accurate representation of the struggles women face. The glass ceiling implies that there is only a barrier for executive and leadership positions. It does not encompass the twists and turns women face when progressing through lower-ranked positions. Therefore, it is more accurate for society to recognize the leadership labyrinth rather than the glass ceiling when referring to the gender gap in the workplace.
Dr. Alice Eagly coined the leadership labyrinth, described as “a series of complexities, detours, dead ends, and unusual paths” (Martin, 2007). Although society wants to believe this labyrinth does not exist, it still lives. Women are unconsciously stereotyped for being too emotional or too sensitive to perform in the workplace. This bias is driven by traditional domestic responsibilities women held in the past.
Growing up, girls are praised for following the rules and doing what they’re told. On the other hand, boys are praised for being assertive and taking action. As this bias is taught to us as children, it can be hard to overcome. For example, in a Hewlett Packard internal report, “women only apply for open jobs if they think they meet 100% of the criteria listed, while men apply when they’ve met 60% of the criteria” (Youn, 2019). This statistic shows how this bias lives in our adult lives and deters women from progressing through the workplace.
As a man, it can be difficult to understand the Leadership Labyrinth or what it’s like to navigate it. In a study by Promundo, “77% of men said they were doing everything they can do to advance gender equality in the workplace, but only 41% of women agreed with that assessment (7 ways, 2020). As men, we can close this gap by actively listening to women’s perspectives, reflecting on our male privilege and power, fighting against unfair policies, and joining the conversation. We also need to understand that this is not just a “women” conversation but an “us” conversation. We can make progress by reframing our views of strong leaders needing to have traditional male traits.
References
7 ways men can be better allies for Gender Equality. menengage. (2020, July 13).
Martin, S. (2007, July).Women leaders: The labyrinth to leadership. Monitor on Psychology.
Youn, S. (2019, March 7).Women are less aggressive than men when applying for jobs, despite getting hired more frequently: LinkedIn. ABC News.
