Outdated myths shouldn’t hold women back

Here are four myths and three remedies to help women achieve more at work

There are some societal misperceptions about women that need to be corrected. The problem with these misperceptions is that they put the onus entirely on women to fix themselves without considering whether systemic bias in the workplace and societal misperceptions might be holding them back. Here are four I’d like to tackle:

Myth 1: Women lack confidence

I don’t believe that women lack the confidence to succeed in business. Instead, women seem to be more likely than men to think that others have lower confidence in their abilities, as I explored in a previous article.

Myth 2: Women don’t ask for pay rises

Research published in Academy of Management Discoveries found that, despite persistent stereotypes, women are actually more likely to negotiate their salaries than men.

Myth 3: Women aren’t demonstrating that they deserve to be promoted

Research shows that men are promoted for leadership potential while women are promoted for performance. This is because managers tend to consistently underestimate women’s leadership potential.

Myth 4: Women tend to suffer from “imposter syndrome”

It’s perfectly normal, and in fact quite healthy, to have some doubts or mild anxiety before starting a new role, for example. After all, this is what makes us human. By pathologizing it as a “syndrome” that is more likely to affect women, we are once again suggesting that women need to be fixed. By continuing to perpetuate these myths, the danger is that they become self-fulfilling. 

“In politics, If you want anything said, ask a man. If you want anything done, ask a woman.”

- Margaret Thatcher

Here’s a quick list of three remedies to start tackling gendered misconceptions and take the onus off women alone:

Remedy 1. Evaluate candidates in groups rather than one by one

To reduce implicit or unconscious gender bias in hiring and promotion decisions, evaluate the merits of two or more applicants at the same time rather than assessing them one by one. Joint evaluations tend to compare candidates based on performance rather than any implicit gender basis.

Remedy 2. Conduct internal audits on pay 

With pressure for equal pay continuing to grow, there are now a number of non-profit organizations, such as the Equal Salary Foundation, that provide a certification process enabling companies to verify and communicate that they pay their male and female employees equally for the same job or for the same value. 

Remedy 3. Introduce mentoring programs for women 

Research has found that 62% of men had a mentor at the CEO or senior executive level compared to 52% of women.  

It’s time to take a closer look at how to overhaul workplace practices to correct the misconceptions that are holding women back from achieving all we can. 

Ginka Toegel

Professor of Organizational Behavior

Ginka Toegel is a teacher, facilitator, and researcher in the areas of leadership and human behavior. Specialized in providing one-to-one leadership coaching and team-building workshops to top management teams in both the public and private sector, her major research focuses on leadership development, team dynamics, and coaching. She is also Director of the Strategies for Leadership program and the Mobilizing People program.

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