Women in Leadership
Recently U.S. voters elected 35 additional women into the House of Representatives and pundits are declaring 2018 as the Year of the Woman…again.
In 1992, when American voters elected more new women to Congress than in any previous decade, it was also declared the Year of the Woman. “Calling 1992 the Year of the Woman makes it sound like the Year of the Caribou or the Year of the Asparagus,” said Senator Mikulski.
“We’re not a fad, a fancy, or a year.” Twenty-six years have passed and her comment is as relevant as ever.
I agree that women in leadership are not a fad; however, the declaration in 2018 raises the question, what has changed in the years since this pundit declared the first Year of the Woman?
While a panacea has not been achieved for true equality, time has given us an opportunity to research and understand the challenges facing women in leadership. As more women step into senior roles, the challenges have been named and strategies defined to help them leap forward.
There is more work to be done, especially as binary gender roles are shifting to a spectrum; however, there is wisdom to guide these 35 new congresswomen as they start another year as a woman.
Here’s a Worry Women in Leadership Experience
3 Challenges for Women in Leadership Roles
I am both thrilled and anxious for these women as they set off as our elected representatives. And as such, I would like to highlight some of the challenges and solutions that both they and you can be mindful of this coming year.
Challenge #1: The Double Bind
A double bind is when you are faced with a choice between two undesirable options: 1) behaving in a typically female fashion and being thought of as not having leadership abilities, or 2) behaving in more masculine ways and being labeled as too aggressive and bossy and thought of as not having leadership abilities. Damned if you do and damned if you don’t.
Challenge #2: Inner Critic / Imposter Syndrome
The inner critic is that inner voice that tells us that we aren’t good enough, expressing criticism, disapproval, or frustrations about our actions. It is a stream of negative self-talk that can leave us paralyzed or retreating out of shame.
The imposter syndrome is a cousin to the inner critic, but this voice tells us that we don’t belong, are not qualified, or don’t deserve the seat we are in. Women tend to have the volume turned up on their self-doubt when they cross over into areas of masculine leadership stereotypes, such as numbers, negotiations, and leadership. Women can also be sensitive to micro-aggressions that may occur when they exhibit “masculine” leadership traits, serving to reinforce and validate their inner critic.
Challenge #3: Impossible Selves
The impossible self is the “ideal” leadership version of ourselves; however, this ideal is impossible because the definition of the leader doesn’t take into account the double bind and the mixed expectations of women leading in a man’s world.
Women can easily fall into the trap that they need to be perfect, 100% fair, and accessible 24/7, which sets up impossible expectations and guarantees feelings of failure.
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PAUSE: Reflect and Check-In
Before we get into the solutions, let’s recognize that the double bind of women and leadership is not your fault. The double bind is a symptom of unconscious bias around gender-based expectations. What you do need to recognize is that you may hold these unconscious biases near and dear.
Check-in with yourself about the gendered-expectations you were raised with and recognize that you can bust through the invisible barriers you may be accepting as normal.
Reading about these challenges of women and leadership may cause you to feel rage, doubt, or peace. Recognize what you are feeling. With proper perspective on the challenges, and having checked in with yourself, it’s time for …
GAME ON!
Solution #1: Be Versatile
The more styles of leadership that you can draw upon the more you can adjust to any situation. Being able to demonstrate empathy while also being decisive and assertive allows you to adapt to any situation. Don’t worry about sticking to one note, play with all 88 keys on the piano.
The more we can embrace the range and depth of leadership styles the more effective we will be at handling challenging situations with clear intent and impact.
Solution #2: Amplify
We have been fighting for the specific seats we sit in, but that doesn’t mean others are ready to listen to what we have to say. Interruptions are frequent, and women tend to wait for a pause in the conversation or for their turn, which never come.
When a woman in leadership does manage to share her idea, it might be ignored or commandeered by someone else at the table as their idea. This is where the sisterhood of the traveling megaphone comes in. When you hear a woman share a great idea, grab that megaphone and amplify it.
If someone else tries to take credit, grab that megaphone and reiterate that you heard her say it first.
Solution #3: Love Negotiations
I would love to declare negotiation as the sixth love language. If you really love me, you will negotiate with me, for me, and against me. Negotiating is the art of navigating tradeoffs, a critical move for women to master as they realize the impossible self is a mirage.
“In business, you don’t get what you deserve; you get what you negotiate.” (Chester Karrass) Strengthening your skills so that you don’t approach negotiations with fear and trepidation and tackling them with strength and curiosity will serve you well in quieting the inner critic.
Solution #4: Think Strategically
The new glass ceiling of women and leadership is polished with praise for the doers. Research shows that women are not advancing into the most senior positions because they lack the experiences to develop strategic organizational leadership skills. They are seen as great executors and continue to be put in positions where they can be tactical doers.
Don’t settle because of the praise. Proactively ask for the stretch assignments, present your recommendations on how to navigate strategic opportunities, and identify a mentor who can help advocate for your career.
Each generation of women in leadership roles builds upon the legacy of those who came before. Thank you to the women elected to Congress and the Senate in 1992 and every year before and since. It is through your experience that we are gaining a better understanding of the challenges that lie ahead and the tactics that work.
Let us hope that 2018 is the last year to be declared the Year of the Woman. May our collective efforts bring attention to the work ahead so that women are no longer considered a trend or a fad.