From Ceilings to Cliffs
WOMEN wearing pants, women outnumbering men at workplaces, woman CEOs, woman entrepreneurs (millionaires too), glass ceilings -- all passé, yes, yes, yesterday's news. The concept that's being talked about today is of `glass cliffs'.
Research has found that women who consistently break the glass ceiling in their organisations face a trickier task - find themselves on a `glass cliff', a risky and precarious position. In other words, they are given more onerous tasks than their male counterparts. A recent `Times' report states that companies, which had consistently performed badly, often appointed women at senior positions. This, because managements think that if there is a crisis in the organisation, woman leaders are more likely to bail them out and deal with the situation more effectively. The idea being that women are more adept at dealing with crises. However, ironically, with every financial downturn, these woman leaders were in danger of being held responsible for the negative outcomes. Their abilities were questioned and their leadership skills came under much fire and criticism. This when the factors, which adversely affected the company, had been set in motion long before the manager had assumed her post. In contrast, once the performance picked up, women were less likely to be hired at senior levels. This is the glass cliff, which women are finding themselves on -- more dangerous and subtly sexist.
Women are getting top jobs but it is a `poisoned chalice' as the research terms it. If a company is doing well, the boys make the grade but a failing company will look to a woman for bailing it out. Also, not so surprisingly perhaps, women are seen as more expendable employees than their male counterparts.
Ingrained beliefs
At work as well as at home women habitually allow themselves to be ruled by belief structures that have been ingrained in them for years. They allow themselves to be influenced by various issues, which in turn can restrict their natural leadership qualities. Sometimes the struggle to balance life and work becomes so tough for women that they would rather give up working. While women at senior levels of management find that one of the biggest hurdles they face is a stereotyping of their roles and skills, women who are low on the corporate ladder can still laugh about it and refer to the glass ceiling as the distant skylight! But, whether it is overt or subtle, one need not contend with it alone.
There are a few resources that women do have at their disposal, which can help prevent and also overcome bias of this kind at the workplace:
The first important step — choose your employer well. Study your employer at the interview stage itself while they are sizing you up. Find out, if you can, as to how many women are working with the organisation.
Know the company policies going in and their take on addressing gender issues
Don't be afraid to ask for help when you need it. Select mentors who understand how the system works. If things start to get bad, maintain notes in a journal with dates and events mentioned and also the person/s involved so that you have recorded proof.
Talk to your peers. If you encounter gender bias in the workplace, you may be able to get some wise counselling from someone who has dealt with a similar situation before.
Remember you are in charge of your own career so be your own cheerleader! Accept high visibility assignments and do your best work. Woman managers are often praised for being more sensitive to employees' needs, keeping others better-informed and getting results.
For women striving for the top job is not necessarily a question of power; the woman's personal standards play a major role in her achievements— the ability to assert herself and her capability of making strategic decisions. However, despite attempts by organisations to increase the number of women working at senior level, the rate of change and the pace of progress have remained at best erratic. And it should not come as a surprise that a majority of men and women believe that it's advantageous to be a man than a woman!
So, is the `superwoman' who wants to be the world's best mom, best wife and best boss, dead? Like the battle of the sexes, this battle continues too!
PADMA RAMESH
padma.hyd@cnkonline.com
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