Category: Unit 8

“We cannot all suceed when half of us are held back.” (Malala Yousafzai)

Taking the gender leader implicit association test was very enlightening. I did not know how it will be scored, but when I saw the results, I was taken aback. No doubt that the time difference was almost negligible but I do associate women more with supporting roles. I never thought this was how I thought before. Reading this chapter and learning about the vast gender bias problem made me feel privileged that I have not yet faced much of it. I associate women with leadership roles as that’s how I grew up and I was always encouraged as a leader or strong personality in general. This did come with a con that I was labeled as a tomboy and sometimes I was called too manly, and it affected me in a wrong way. Nonetheless, I’ve been blessed with immensely supportive people in my life that did not let me drown in the negative loop but made me realize how I need to beat it and how I was capable of it. I’ve been a feminist ever since, and I know sometimes feminism is not understood entirely but to me, it is a synonym for equality. These days feminism is on an all-time high plus people are vocal about it too.

After reading The Catalyst (2016), I’m enlisting below the various ways or fostering a sense of recognition and inclusion:

• Breaking the myths is very important. Myths like women have it more accessible as they can just marry a rich man and have their life set. Most women refuse to do that and would instead build their empires. Back in India the biggest entertainment sites POPXo and Plixxo have women CEOs and founders. Another myth that needs to be broken is that women cannot work effectively and are more likely to get into arguments. Women are generally more poised and as capable as men if not better.
• Understanding other people’s varied work habits is another way to foster the sense of inclusion. Women may work a little different, and their responsibility and needs are a bit different at times. They do need leave during pregnancy, or they do have more responsibility in domestic chores, but that doesn’t make them any less competent.
• Opening and speaking your mind is very important. Having an open mind and not having any prejudice is very important. Sometimes at the workplace, a woman’s opinion is not even considered because of gender bias, and this needs to be avoided, and they should be included as much as any other person.
• Paying attention and addressing to any gender bias that is happening should be a priority. Uplifting anyone and encouraging them to break through it should also be supported. Constantly talking about the importance of breaking this stigma should also be done within an organization.

References

Northouse, P. G.  (2016).  Leadership:  Theory and Practice.  (7th ed.)  Thousand Oaks, CA:  Sage Publications Inc.

 

“We still think powerful men as a born leader and powerful women as an anomaly.” (Northouse 2016,p.318)

This case study is about a lady named Marina Soslow who is a senior managing director at a manufacturing company who is soon to be promoted to a top executive position when she finds out she is pregnant. She is reluctant to tell her boss because many women in the same situation had lost their position in the past. Nonetheless, she mentions the fact of being pregnant with her boss and lets him know that she will need a three-month leave after her delivery. She is cut short by her boss while she was explaining how she can get everything worked out without any loss. Ross is somewhat unsupportive and says he knew this was going to happen anyway and he’ll talk about it later (Northouse 2016, p. 415).

The advancement barrier that Marina is encountering is gender bias. It baffles me how deep and wide this plague is. In my personal experience, I think women are the most stronger than men physically too, and one of the reason is that they can bear childbirth and then go back stronger taking care of not just themselves but a child as well. The mere fact that pregnancy is considered a weakness or hindrance to the performance of a women leader is disturbing and wrong. Nowadays to break this taboo many celebrities like Beyonce, Kareen Kapoor, and many others have been open about their pregnancies and their career is still as flourishing as ever if not better. On the other hand, Roy should have told Marina that he supports her and she will get the leave as she is legally accustomed to it as well under Medical Leave Act 1993 and her job will be secured too. On top of that, he should have listened carefully to her suggestions.

Roy could have made her appoint an intern or trainee or train another existing subordinate to cover for her while she will be away. She could teach him/her as well, and the company’s work and performance would not suffer either. In cases like these, the most significant organizational change that can be made is spreading awareness and educating everyone about fundamental rights like Medical Leave Act 1993. To train everyone to be supportive rather than critical of such situations. Gender bias is an urgent issue and needs to be addressed immediately, and education and practice is the key to it.

References

Northouse, P.G. (2016).  Leadership: Theory and Practice. Thousand Oaks, CA:  Sage Publications, Inc.