The Patriarchy Ain’t Dead Yet: Challenges and Opportunities for Females in Leadership

Despite significant progress over the years, females still face unique challenges when it comes to pursuing leadership roles in the workplace. Even today in most companies, men hold the most powerful positions in the workplace hierarchy, which is considered to be a masculine structure. From navigating biases and stereotypes to balancing personal and family responsibilities, the road to leadership for many females is paved with obstacles.

Let’s face it – in the U.S., we still live in a patriarchal culture where masculine traits and principles are valued over those of the feminine. But amidst challenges, you can find opportunities for growth and empowerment.

Females Still Face Key Challenges on Their Journey to Leadership

Even in the 21st century, you probably have had experience with at least one of these challenges at work:

• Gender bias and stereotypes. Maybe the top challenge for females today includes gender bias and stereotyping that create barriers for you if you aspire to be a leader in your organization. Research shows that females are sometimes perceived as less competent or assertive than their male counterparts, making it harder for them to gain recognition and advancement in a male-led and masculine-structured organization.

• The “double-bind” dilemma. Second, related to being assertive (or not), females get caught in the 'double-bind' or “tightrope” dilemma. You might find yourself caught between being perceived as too 'soft' or 'feminine' if you show empathy and compassion, or too 'aggressive' or 'bossy' if you display assertiveness and confidence.

This dilemma highlights the expectations placed on you as a female to be both assertive and nurturing and confident but not overly aggressive. There was study from 2016 that found that in order to be seen as confident, women (but not  men) must also be seen as “warm". Ugh!

So, being in a female body sets you up to a requirement that you conform to deeply-rooted societal expectations for how you are supposed to show up. If you’re traits, behaviors, and general orientation to the world includes masculine traits, you’re likely to be judged for the disconnect between your personality and outside appearance.

• Finding the right life balance for you. Third, there is the ever-present challenge of work-life balance. If you’re like most females, you’re still juggling the demands of your career responsibilities with your family commitments, which can make it challenging to devote time and energy to both your family and to your own leadership development and work responsibilities.

Still, There Are Opportunities

But despite these challenges, there are countless opportunities for females to thrive in leadership roles. It all begins with honing essential leadership skills and embracing your strengths, including your unique balance of masculine and feminine qualities.

Some areas to develop and skills to hone include:

• Effective communication. You can enhance your leadership presence by honing your own verbal and nonverbal communication skills, learning to foster open dialogue, and actively listening to others. These skills help you tell stories that teach, address employee needs and concerns one-on-one, give inspiring speeches, and conduct team meetings.

• Resilience. Next, you can cultivate resilience, which is essential for navigating the ups and downs of leadership. Resilient leaders bounce back from setbacks, adapt to change, and inspire others to persevere in the face of adversity.

• Empathy and Emotional Intelligence. Third, enhance your capacity to have empathy for others and show emotional intelligence, which are also critical traits of successful leaders. By understanding and valuing the perspectives of others with empathy, you can build strong relationships, foster collaboration, and create inclusive work environments. By understanding and managing your own emotions, you will be seen as a grounded leader with invaluable wisdom.

• Professionally Network with Mentors & Others. Finally, consider finding a mentor and expanding your professional network. Seeking guidance from experienced mentors and expanding professional networks can provide valuable support, guidance, and opportunities for growth for you.

While you may face unique challenges at work, you also possess immense potential to drive positive change, inspire others, and shatter glass ceilings. By developing essential leadership skills and embracing your strengths, you can confidently navigate your path to success.

Remember: the future of leadership is female.