Although times have changed, women still cannot easily get a leadership job due to stereotyping

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Although times have changed, women still cannot easily get a leadership job due to stereotyping

Over that last 35 years women have advanced greatly and the late First Lady Betty Ford was a good example to sustain this idea.

However, women still cannot get a leadership role and that is only because of stereotypes. According to a group of researchers at the Northwestern University, who made a study on the issue, it seems that leadership positions are still dominated by males. From what the researchers said, women suffer from two types of prejudice: they are viewed as less qualified or less natural when it comes to leadership positions or they adopt a masculine behavior which is often seen as inappropriate or presumptuous. What is the consequence of all this? Women get a gender stereotype based on the role they assume for themselves in a competition against men.

Furthermore, there is also this idea that women are nicer and compassionate, while men are seen as being more assertive and competitive. This is the main reason for which women are seen less powerful than men and thus, their position in a leadership role is hindered. Moreover, given that men fit the leader stereotype better than women, they are also more prone to get the role when in competition with a woman. Plus, men also face fewer challenges when it comes to a top position, in comparison to women.

Still, there is also some good news for the ladies who are looking to occupy a top position. In comparison to other years, nowadays, men’s construal of leadership is weaker. Even though things remain culturally masculine, they are not as powerful as they once were and that is extremely good news for a woman who is seeking to occupy a leadership role. “Cultural stereotypes can make it seem that women do not have what it takes for important leadership roles, thereby adding to the barriers that women encounter in attaining roles that yield substantial power and authority,” said Dr. Alice Eagly, from the Institute for Policy Research at Northwestern.

Eagly concluded by saying that the study was based on three paradigms and it relied on data collected from Europe, East Asia, Canada and the United States of America. Still, in order to determine what the role of women really is in nowadays’ society, further studies must be made.

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