Gender Differences in Management
Madeline E. Heilman, Ph.D.
Catalyst, October 2005
A study by Catalyst surveyed 296 business leaders regarding their perceptions of gender stereotypes in the workplace and found evidence of a bias against women in leadership positions. The surveys were sorted by the gender of the respondents to examine female and male perceptions of their own and the opposite gender. Background research on gender differences in the workplace found that men hold more leadership positions in companies despite the fact that women hold more than 50 percent of management and professional positions. Women also account for less than 2 percent of Fortune 500 and 1000 CEOs.
Respondents of both genders viewed women as more able to take care of employees and less likely to display take control of difficult situations. Women viewed themselves and other women as better problem solvers, while men viewed males as superior. Researches focused on problem-solving as a key stereotypical belief, citing the fact that problem-solving is the most important trait for leaders and possibly the reason that women advance to positions of leadership.
Education is the key to overcoming stereotypes. The catalyst survey concluded that educating employees to recognize feelings of gender bias may be the only way to combat gender stereotypes and allow women to advance into leadership positions in the future.
The full report can be viewed here.