Facebook Chief Operating Officer Sheryl Sandberg is one of the world's most influential female managers and also one of the leading people who are striving for equal opportunities for men and women in the workplace. She summarized her opinions and recommendations on successful careers for women in the international bestseller Lean In. Women, Work, and the Will to Lead. She also often speaks on the topic of women and careers at conferences and publishes articles in professional journals.
Since December 2014, Sheryl Sandberg has had a column in The New York Times. She and Adam Grant, a Wharton School professor and one of HR Magazine's most influential international individuals in the field of HR, focus on the topic of discrimination against women at work. For example, they have discussed the question of why women often remain silent at meetings and in similar situations when they could promote their views.
Women in leadership positions are less trustworthy
"We’ve both seen it happen again and again. When a woman speaks in a professional setting, she walks a tightrope. Either she’s barely heard or she’s judged as too aggressive. When a man says virtually the same thing, heads nod in appreciation for his fine idea. As a result, women often decide that saying less is more," say Sandberg and Grant.
They present the results of several studies supporting this statement. Both Yale University's and the University of Texas's independent studies have shown that women's voices are less trustworthy than men's, even when they say the same things. Adam Grant's personal experience, gained in collaboration with a major healthcare company and an international bank, also showed that it's much more difficult for women to gain confidence and support for their proposals.
The more female managers, the better
Sandberg and Grant recommend anonymity as a partial way to improve this situation. For example, employees could submit their suggestions anonymously, similar to the people who want to work in orchestras. The people assessing these job applicants often hear them playing before learning who they are. Generally, it is necessary to actively support women in communication and increasing the number of women in leadership positions.
The entire article is available on The New York Times website here. You can also join the extensive discussion on this topic on Facebook here.
What is your opinion on the participation of women in meetings and in managerial careers as a whole?
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