How often have we heard that getting women to the top of the ladder will be the panacea to all issues related to gender based discrimination and biases?
How often have we told men and women that women in leadership roles is the key to solving for DEI? How often have women told themselves that the next promotion will make things easier for them? Such casual observations as the one above, made in the middle of a historic achievement, reflect the deeply ingrained stereotypes women face, even at the pinnacle of their success. This serves as a microcosm of the unconscious bias that women encounter in all spheres, including the highest levels of business leadership.While we are tracking data that is moving in minuscule increments, trying to celebrate every inch of progress, we must pause and ask: Have the women who make it to these highest positions of leadership and success really broken through systemic biases?
All ‘men’ are equal, but some are more equal than others
Consider two high-profile entrepreneurs who faced significant controversies. One of them endured a relentless smear campaign and character assassination, and the other emerged unscathed and became a media darling. Though I won’t name names, one can not ignore the difference in how their controversies played out. This disparity raises questions: did the male entrepreneur enjoy a support network that helped him thrive, while the female entrepreneur was forced to navigate a much harsher landscape? It is pertinent that we contemplate the reasons behind such different outcomes for these two leaders and if gender was perhaps the contributing factor to the disparity?
The public perception and treatment for men and women in the leadership often differ with women at the receiving end.
Women often face an uphill battle even after breaking into leadership positions, as they must navigate entrenched perceptions that view their presence as a threat to male-dominated hierarchies.
How about the woman entrepreneur who was asked to step away, forfeiting her shares while her male co-founder was given double compensation by a wholly male board of investors? Stalwarts like Naina Lal Kidwai have openly discussed the discrimination prevalent in boardrooms, where women’s opinions are often unheard or undervalued. Even those at the top aren’t immune to hostile environments. Reports of physical threats faced by female leaders underscore the dangers they endure simply for occupying traditionally male-dominated roles.
The challenges faced by women at the top are not merely anecdotal but supported by rigorous research. Recent research sheds light on a critical dynamic that are highly relevant in some societies and certain contexts: the male psyche that feels threatened by successful women. A study by Tamar Kricheli-Katz suggests that men in high-status positions experience “identity threat” when women assume leadership roles traditionally dominated by men. This often results in biased evaluations of female leaders, negatively impacting their career advancement and pay. The study highlights a fear that a woman’s success in leadership diminishes male dominance, leading to resistance against women’s rise to power.
The concept of “masculine anxiety,” as outlined by Catalyst, further illustrates how some men feel pressure to uphold traditional gender roles when women enter spaces historically dominated by men. This results in behaviors that obstruct gender equality initiatives and intensify the hostility female leaders face. This psychological resistance, coupled with societal pressure, adds an extra layer of difficulty for women in leadership.
The double bind and disproportionate scrutiny
A Harvard Business Review article asked, ‘Why are we so tough on female CEOs? It says that female CEOs experience heightened levels of stress and depression compared to their male counterparts. They’re often caught in a double bind: assertive women are labeled as ‘unfeminine,’ while those who are more reserved are deemed ‘too meek’ for leadership. Moreover, they are disproportionately targeted by activist investors as per the New York Times, Fortune and Economist, female CEOs are targeted more frequently by activist investors: A disproportionate number of female CEOs leading S&P 500 companies (at least 25%) have faced pressure from activist investors compared to the overall average of S&P 500 companies (15%).
The journey for women leaders is fraught with challenges. The ‘glass cliff’ phenomenon, where women are often appointed to leadership roles during times of crisis, and ‘attribution bias,’ which hinders female entrepreneurs from securing funding, further compound their difficulties. It’s crucial to dispel the myth that reaching the top equates to empowerment. Women leaders continue to feel the pressure to prove their worth and navigate a precarious path, where slightest missteps or even a bruised ego can lead to swift downfall.
The invisible ceiling: Does it ever shatter?
With all of this, I wonder if the invisible glass ceiling ever truly shatter, or is it a specter that continues to hover above women’s heads, rising with them as they ascend but never fully disappearing? As women rise higher in leadership positions, the biases often morph. They are no longer confronting outright exclusion from the boardroom but instead are dealing with deeper, possibly more ingrained challenges. Young women face biased managers, Managers face discriminating leaders, CEOs run into hostile boards, Board members, well, they deal with casual disregard! And if you thought being an entrepreneur, your “own boss” could be the solution, we have the alpha investors ready to label women as emotional, weak or manipulating. Male founders with the same behavior are empathetic, people’s persons and savvy businessmen.
It is clear that true empowerment cannot be measured solely by the number of women who have reached the C-suite or the boardroom. Until the structures of power are redesigned to be inclusive and supportive of all genders, the glass ceiling will remain—its shadow growing alongside women’s success, a haunting reminder that while progress has been made, the journey toward equality is far from complete.
Thus, the question of whether women have truly shattered the glass ceiling becomes a more reflective one. Is it possible that it will never fully break, but instead, rise endlessly with every step women take? And if so, what does that mean for the future of gender equality in leadership? Perhaps the real challenge lies not just in breaking through but in ensuring that the ceiling no longer exists at all for future generations. Until that happens, we must question whether the celebrated progress we see is genuine empowerment or merely a mirage that moves ever higher as women strive to lead.
Author is founder of Winpe.
