Perception issues for female professionals

Have you ever been told you are too quiet? Maybe you don’t speak up enough so, “people worry about your leadership skills.” Or, you don’t advocate enough for yourself so, “you aren’t taking control of your career like a natural born leader.” If so, this article is for you. Maybe you’ve received feedback that there is concern over your analytical skills and “quant chops.” Or, there is some general, yet vague, feedback that leadership worries, “you lack that killer instinct.” Or, maybe it’s the opposite and you are “too bossy” or “too opinionated.” Have you heard any of these things?  I have over my career. Instead of letting them control my path, I got upset, then angry, then curious. I decided that none of these descriptions were really a good read on me, or my leadership potential, and I decided to change the perception. You can too. I’ve interviewed hundreds of women in senior leadership over the years and one thing is clear: we’re navigating a constant push and pull. Be strong, but not too strong. Be likable, but not too soft. Show your ambition, but don’t make anyone uncomfortable. Women aren’t just doing the job, they’re doing the extra work of managing how they’re perceived while they’re doing the job. We wrote this piece for HBR because it’s important for women to know how to not only subvert stereotypes and shape how others see them, but to do it without losing themselves in the process. Too many of us think there is nothing we can do when we hear feedback that doesn’t feel quite right. Sometimes, there are actions we can take. I love this piece so much because it says we don’t have to be victim to the stories about us or around us, we can do something about it.   1️⃣ Craft a counternarrative – Instead of internalizing biased feedback, reshape how people see you by aligning your strengths with what the organization values (on your terms!). 2️⃣ Use positive association – Enthusiasm and future-focused language can subtly shift others’ assumptions  and build trust. 3️⃣ Turn feedback into power – Don’t immediately accept or reject it, investigate it. Use it to understand what success looks like in your environment, and then find authentic ways to express that in your own leadership style. So if you’ve ever felt like your success depends not just on what you do, but how you’re seen…you’re not imagining it. Especially in times of economic uncertainty and shifting priorities, it becomes even more pronounced. And while there are no one-size-fits-all strategies, when women take control of their story, they open doors for themselves AND others. Let’s stop contorting ourselves to fit outdated models. We can rewrite the models themselves. Let me know what you think. https://lnkd.in/gcCSE7XW Colleen Ammerman Harvard Business Review Lakshmi Ramarajan Lisa Sun

I am (not) your mother, Luke.   Or your sister. Or girlfriend. Or your wife.   I am your boss.   And yet, as a female leader, I often found that my team members unconsciously placed me in a caregiving role. Which triggered in me a need to nurture them, which undermined my authority, and was no good for any of us.   I’m not alone in this. Many of the women leaders I work with in my role as mentor say the same thing. That when they have to make tough decisions, they get reactions that their male equivalents simply don’t have to face.   👩👦 The ‘mother’ role. You’re expected to be nurturing, to provide emotional support and protection. And any criticism may be taken as harsh, like being told off by mummy. 👩 The ‘sister’ role: You’re expected to be friendly, collaborative and fun. Assertiveness can be misread as aggression. 👰♀️ The ‘girlfriend / wife’ role: You’re expected to take on emotional labour, be a supportive ear, or even hand conflict in a soothing manner. These roles are a trap for women in business, where they feel that they have to balance warmth with authority, competence with compassion. And it’s exhausting!   The struggle is real ❌ Women may struggle to progress if they don’t conform to caregiving expectations ❌ Feedback from women leaders is more likely to be taken personally, rather than as professional guidance ❌ Women leaders may try to do it all, fulfilling both emotional and professional expectations – leading to burnout   To avoid this trap, women often try to take on what they perceive as a male archetype – becoming cold and harsh. But that’s not the best way forward. The answer is authenticity. How to be just you ✅ Educate your team and yourself about these biases – knowing about them is the first step to avoiding them ✅ Set boundaries – be clear about professional expectations versus personal involvement ✅ Communicate honestly – don’t feel you have to soften your message, be direct and clear ✅ Support other women – advocate for structures that allow women to lead without having to take on caregiving expectations. It’s time women stopped trying to be everything to everyone and focused on being just the very best version of themselves.   What about you? Are you a female leader who finds herself being put in these boxes? Are you a man working with women who expects them to be the caregivers? Let me know! ⬇️

Would you believe me if I told you that around half of the women in your team are reluctant to raise problems, concerned that this will impact their leader's perception of them? Our Three Barriers research found that women are very cautious about raising issues, negativity or even raising concerns due to the belief that this can cause repercussions for their career progression. In my line of work and research, I am very aware of the gendered expectations and behaviours that women will adopt within a workplace and how there is a narrow acceptable operating range of behaviours available to women. Too assertive and you're aggressive. Too warm and you're not decisive enough. Too confident and you're arrogant. But nearly half of women actually withholding issues in their role due to these fears, that's startling. What can organisations do? 🔶 You can create a a culture of psychological safety to enable employees to speak up. Leaders role modelling vulnerability themselves, and responding positively when others display vulnerability, helps to show that it is safe. 🔶 You can encourage allyship so that issues raised are supported by others. Equip employees at all levels to demonstrate allyship. 🔶 You can counteract gender biases by changing processes and systems. Audit your talent procesess, frameworks and cycles for biases and stereotypes and counteract them. This will also helo to nudge behavioural change at scale. #EDI #GenderEquity #ThreeBarriers

Are Women Ever at the “Right” Age in the Workplace? 🍼 The “Maybe Baby” Bias Childfree, childbearing-aged women face the “maybe baby” bias: the assumption that they might have children makes them seem like “risky” hires. Even if they have no plans to start a family, they are penalized simply for being at a reproductive age—a scrutiny that men and mothers largely avoid (Prof. Dr. Jamie Gloor et al., 2021). ⚖️ Middle Age: Agentic but not Warm On the other hand, research by Jennifer Chatman et al. (2022) shows that middle-aged professional women are perceived as more agentic (competent, assertive)—a trait often celebrated in leadership. Yet this shift comes at a cost: they are also judged as less warm, clashing with expectations for communal behavior. These perceptions have tangible consequences, including lower performance evaluations and potential career setbacks. 🚫 Too Old to Be Promoted? At the other end of the spectrum, older women are often overlooked for promotions because they are seen as “ready for retirement” or because a younger, less experienced “up-and-comer” gets the job (Amy Diehl, PhD et al., 2024). 💡 The Takeaway From the “maybe baby” bias against younger women, to the “too much” agentic middle-aged woman, to the ageism faced by older women, stereotypes create challenges at every stage of a woman’s career. Building inclusive workplaces means tackling these intersecting biases head-on. It begs the question: Are women ever at a “good” age for career advancement? #GenderBias #WorkplaceEquality #WomenInLeadership #AgeStereotypes #InclusiveWorkplace

A highly qualified woman sat across from me yesterday.   Her resume showed 15 years of C-suite experience. Multiple awards. Industry recognition.   Yet she spoke about her success like it was pure luck.   SEVENTY-FIVE PERCENT of female executives experience this same phenomenon.   I see it daily through my work with thousands of women leaders. They achieve remarkable success but internally believe they fooled everyone.   Some call it imposter syndrome. I call it a STRUCTURAL PROBLEM.   Let me explain...   When less than 5% of major companies have gender-balanced leadership, women question whether they belong.   My first board appointment taught me this hard truth.   I walked into that boardroom convinced I would say something ridiculous. Everyone seemed so confident.   But confidence plays tricks on us.   Perfect knowledge never exists. Leadership requires:   • Recognising what you know • Admitting what you miss • Finding the right answers • Moving forward anyway   Three strategies that transformed my journey:   1. Build your evidence file Document every win, every positive feedback, every successful project. Review it before big meetings. Your brain lies. Evidence speaks truth.   2. Find your circle Connect with other women leaders who understand your experience. The moment you share your doubts, someone else will say "me too."   3. Practice strategic vulnerability Acknowledging areas for growth enhances credibility. Power exists in saying "I'll find out" instead of pretending omniscience.   REALITY CHECK: This impacts business results.   Qualified women: - Decline opportunities - Downplay achievements - Hesitate to negotiate - Withdraw from consideration   Organisations lose valuable talent and perspective.   The solution requires both individual action and systemic change.   We need visible pathways to leadership for women. We need to challenge biased feedback. We need women in leadership positions in meaningful numbers.   Leadership demands courage, not perfect confidence.   The world needs leaders who push past doubt - not because they never experience it, but because they refuse to let it win. https://lnkd.in/gY9G-ibh

Are women leaders judged on style instead of on impact?  This Women's Day, I had several powerful discussions on a topic that many of us—especially women in engineering and leadership—experience but rarely address openly: the judgment of leadership styles. One thing my friend Rekha Vijayalakshmi said, and I agreed vehemently on, was: 👉 "Style is a choice, outcomes are non-negotiable." Yet, how often do we see leadership measured this way?  As women, we often hear feedback on how we speak, how we communicate, and how we "come across." Too direct, Too soft, Too emotional, Not warm enough, You speak too much, You dont speak much..“You’re too aggressive.” “You need to be more likable.” “You should be more polished.” These are the kinds of feedback women in leadership receive all the time. Meanwhile, their male colleagues hear: “You need to develop your financial acumen.” “Expand your strategic thinking.” “Work on scaling your team.” These are actionable insights—on strategy, execution, and business growth. 🔍 Why is leadership still being judged by optics instead of impact? 🔍 How much energy do women waste adjusting to contradictory expectations just to be heard? This isn't just frustrating—it’s a systemic issue that shapes careers, promotions, and even self-perception. In this article, I break down: ✅ The biases women leaders face and why our leadership is judged differently. ✅ How vague, personality-focused feedback hinders growth instead of helping it. ✅ A McKinsey study showing how men and women receive drastically different feedback. ✅ How to navigate and respond—taking feedback as a gift but deciding what truly serves our growth. I have shared my experience and perspective —I would love to hear yours. 💬 Have you faced feedback that focused more on style than substance? 💬 How did it affect you? 💬 How did you handle it? 💬 If you're a leader—man or woman—how do you ensure feedback in your organization is fair, useful, and growth-driven? Let’s continue the conversation. Share your stories and experiences and add your insights on how we can reshape leadership norms! 📖 Read the article & join the discussion. #Leadership #WomenInTech #BiasInTheWorkplace #InclusiveLeadership #WomenInEngineering #DiversityInTech #BreakingBarriers #LeadWithImpact

Calling all women professionals. Has there ever been a point in your career where your lack of progress was blamed on a lack of confidence?⁠ ⁠ Research in the Harvard Business Review shows that women are often told to “lean in” or “be more confident”… even when we *are* leaning in and being confident.⁠ ⁠ There’s a harmful narrative pervasive in the workplace that it’s our confidence which holds us back: not the daily microaggressions, doubts or nasty remarks hurled in our direction.⁠ ⁠ Research on likeability bias - also known as the likeability penalty - shows us that when women do act assertively at work e.g.⁠ ⁠ Asking for promotions.⁠ ⁠ Asking for pay rises.⁠ ⁠ Speaking up to challenge e.g. when we’re interrupted or our ideas are stolen.⁠ ⁠ We are not looked upon favourably. In fact, we’re seen as “aggressive”.⁠ ⁠ This is due to outdated gender stereotypes where we’re expected to be caregivers not confident humans who will - like it or not - have to boss you around from time to time.⁠ ⁠ Next time you find yourself wanting to spark up a conversation about someone’s confidence. Zoom out instead… ⁠ ⁠ What could be stopping talented women on your team from showing up as their authentic selves? Confidence looks different on different people. ⁠ ⁠ Vulnerability, for instance, takes a lot of courage. When I am confident, I am brave enough to wear my heart on my sleeve and express the emotions I’m feeling.⁠ ⁠ Would you call that confident?

This post will ruffle some feathers.   Women are often held to higher standards than their male counterparts to prove their competence professionally.  I have dealt with this my entire career, but never as much as I have since founding Faryl Robin Footwear. This double standard means that professional women must consistently exceed expectations and "prove" exceptional abilities to receive the same recognition and rewards as their male counterparts. The added pressure on women not only negatively impacts their career progression, it increases stress and increases burnout. It is time for all leaders and decision-makers to be the change. If not for yourself, for your daughters, and the health of our economy. We can’t fix problems unless we recognize there is one. 

Two things that are dangerous 💣 for women and our advancement in our careers: the lazy narratives that are peddled as science but are actually cultural stereotypes and the tokenism driven by an unhealthy obsession with numbers/quotas. #Onlazynarratives: while we know that women and men are neurologically different in some defined ways, those differences do not always necessarily translate into leadership styles or approaches. (See this incredible study for some interesting findings: https://lnkd.in/dxrD-B2M). The truth is this, women at a certain level of leadership, will most likely take as many risks as men but will stop doing so when they notice they get punished more harshly if they fail. The other truth: we define risk too narrowly and we reward the kinds of risks that we recognise as legitimate. Its perception bias more than it is reality. In this case the environments in which women's work is measured and how it is measured may be more significant than how much testerone they have in their system. #Ontokenism: Being in a hurry to equalise the numbers of men and women in the workplace could hurt women more than it helps them. This hastiness often leads to sentiment more than strategy. For me it's always been more about equity than equality. Create equitable opportunities for women in your recruiting pipelines, in the way that you mentor and coach and assign projects (it can't all happen on the golf course 🤦🏾♀️), in the way that you measure and review (women are more likely to get feedback on their personality than men are) etc. and the women will organically show up AND thrive in the environment. Done well and intentionally the numbers fix themselves over time. That is all. Happy Friday 😊 #fundamentals #inclusiveleadership

There is an urgent need to address the leadership double standard that women, especially women of color, face in the workplace. This unfortunately has become a predictable pattern of behavior that is experienced by women as they ascend to higher levels of power, influence and authority.   In my recent Fast Company article, I delve into the "gravitas gap"—a prime example of the biases and conflicting expectations women navigate. Traits that earn men respect are often perceived negatively when exhibited by women, forcing us to balance authority with approachability and acceptance. Early in my career, I was advised that communicating my career goals broadly would make me be perceived as too ambitious and have a negative impact on my growth and opportunities. Thereafter I rarely shared my career aspirations. Having a different set of standards by ignoring the leadership potential of half the population is a strategic misstep businesses can no longer afford. To tackle this double standard, we must evolve leadership criteria beyond subjective notions of "gravitas" and societal perceptions and provide support systems for women's advancement, address bias in evaluations, and implement inclusive policies that promote equitable organizational processes.   As a trusted C-suite and board-level advisor, I'm committed to inspiring and supporting leaders to create fair and equitable workplaces that leverage the full value and contributions of their workforce by tapping into the benefits diversity brings. Now is the time for organizations to redefine and evolve how they define leadership and prioritize the creation of supportive environments for ALL talent to thrive. Building a future where leadership reflects the full range of backgrounds and experience is essential for long-term growth. By dismantling the leadership double standard, organizations can create a world where competence, vision, and results define success and drive transformative results.   https://lnkd.in/eXykXNcE