In order to find answers to my question I started searching the web and I found the article: “Women and Leadership: Delicate Balancing Act”, written by Hilary Lips for Women Media. She has done research about the topic and came up with a few differences.
First of all she noticed that employees (male and female), for example in a meeting, reacted differently to what female leaders said, although they used the exact same words as the male leaders. The employees responded with nods, attention and smiles while the men where talking and looked the other way or frowned when the women were speaking.
The second observation was that women have to temper their competence with warmth and friendliness in order to be liked and to be influential. Men, on the other hand, can be strict without losing their authority. Also promoting their own abilities and accomplishments can be dangerous for women, because they run the risk of disapproval. And again, men can promote themselves if they do not overdo it.
She also gives other examples, but I believe you get the picture. Traditionally, people associate a leader with the male gender. I guess we, women, are seen as mothers, as people who take care of others and who aren’t able to have great visions about business or leading others to the top. Bullshit if you ask me… Hopefully one day soon, we’ll be able to call ourselves equal to men in every way!
Shanna Danneels (hard-core feminist for one day)
