Female bosses are often hindered by gender stereotypes, which can directly impact their ability to do their jobs, according to a new University of Georgia study.
The researchers found that women in leadership roles can feel limited in their positions of power because of societal gender norms that pressure them to be more docile than their male counterparts.
Support and affirmation from their direct reports can make a difference in those feelings, however.
"Women are expected to have to behave in a pliant way, so for female leaders, we found it's more difficult for them to engage in instruction, to set expectations and to tell others what they need to do because of these stereotypes," said Joanna Lin, lead author of the study and a W. Richard and Emily Acree Professor of Management in the UGA Terry College of Business. "If we don't fix this, there will be fewer women leaders and less effective workplaces."
Gender norms cause conflict in management style
Across four different studies, the researchers found that female bosses feel restricted by their own perceptions of how women should act.
Some of these societal expectations included presenting a nurturing attitude, prioritizing employee well-being over productivity and not giving boss-like directives.
When giving instructions or clarifying responsibilities these leaders reported feeling like they couldn't be as direct in their feedback due to fears of being perceived as rude or demanding.
"There's inconsistency about what you are supposed to do as a woman in leadership. You're expected to be warm and friendly, but you also have to be a boss and engage in straightforward behavior that is different from what people expect for women," Lin said.
Deviating from gender norms made the women feel incompetent or anxious, they reported.
As a result, the women who engaged in more assertive behaviors often felt depleted, overwhelmed by their workload and more withdrawn as a whole.
"If you are depleted, you are more likely to withdraw from your work or to not care for your employees because you don't have the energy to do so anymore," Lin said.
Interestingly, men in the study did not experience any stress over these gender expectations.
Whether they were kind and focused on their employees' well-being, or giving stern directives, male bosses deemed their behavior as a "father knows best" approach, both authoritative and benevolent.
But it's also possible that they viewed this paternalistic leadership style as somehow heroic or chivalrous, which leans into the male hero gender stereotype.
Active support from both supervisors and employees benefit workplaces
There are solutions for the way women leaders feel, however.
When employees value their leader's contributions and show concern for their well-being, women leaders feel less depleted.
But when that support is absent, women leaders feel the weight of the stereotypes more strongly, which can undermine both their energy levels and the workplace overall.
"Followers sometimes assume women leaders are less effective or less likable, which makes giving direction especially draining. In this study, we show that follower support changes this dynamic. When employees recognize and back their leaders, women can preserve their energy and lead more effectively," Lin said.
This study's co-authors include Justin Woodall, a doctoral student in the Terry College of Business, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill's Marie Mitchell, National Sun Yat-sen University's Nai-Wen Chi and Michigan State University's Russell Johnson.
