Perceptions of competence in female director appointments

🤏🏼 It takes so little for men to be trusted as leaders 🤏🏼 And it takes so little for women to be questioned as one. When I took my first Senior Director role in Germany, deep in the male-dominated automotive world, my future boss and I had a quiet heart-to-heart. “Jingjin, in this world, women in power are seen in only two ways: The Victim or The Villain. There is no third option, at least not yet. Which one you choose will define your entire leadership path.” I said I’d be a Victor. Naively believing performance alone would protect me. It didn’t. Because Leadership isn’t just about competence. It’s about perception. And perception for women is often rigged. 🔻 Be firm → You're a bitch 🔻 Be soft → You're weak 🔻 Be nurturing → You're not tough enough 🔻 Be assertive → You’re intimidating 🔻 Be collaborative → You lack authority 🔻 Show ambition → You’re self-serving 🔻 Set boundaries → You’re difficult 🔻 Show emotion → You’re unstable Meanwhile, men doing the exact same things? They’re seen as confident, visionary, and decisive. The game isn't fair, but it can be hacked. 💥 Here’s how I’ve learned to play it smarter, not smaller: 1. Stop aiming to be liked. Aim to be trusted.    Likability is a moving target. Respect isn’t.     2. Use duality to your advantage.    Be warm in tone, cold in logic.    Kind in delivery, fierce in boundaries.    That’s power wrapped in emotional intelligence.     3. Make allies before you need them.    Don’t wait until you're under fire.    Visibility without relationship capital = exposure.     4. Own the label, then flip it.    “Yes, I’m intense. That’s how we hit targets others thought were impossible.” Say it before they do, and reclaim it.     👊🏽 We don’t need to lead like men to be effective. But we do need to stop believing the myth that doing good work will be enough. Until we shift the system, we must strategically shape how we're seen within it. So here’s my new leadership mantra: You can care deeply and lead fiercely. You can be emotional and effective. And power isn’t a dirty word, when it’s used to lift others up. What label have you been given that you’re ready to flip? #Leadership #WomenInLeadership #WorkplacePolitics #RealTalk #ExecutivePresence #RewriteTheRules

What is the current state of research on women in leadership? Really exciting to see this new systematic review in The Leadership Quarterly. The authors integrate decades of research to answer two core questions; 🔎 What factors influence whether women emerge as leaders (female leadership emergence)? 🔎 What factors influence their effectiveness once they do (leadership effectiveness? Highlights 💠 Female Leadership Emergence: Despite progress, women still emerge less often as leaders, primarily due to stereotypes and a perceived lack of fit with traditional leadership roles. Traits such as agency and resilience positively influence emergence, while low self-confidence and stereotype-driven bias hinder it. 💠Effectiveness: Female leaders are often rated as more effective than males by others, though they tend to underrate themselves. Objective outcomes (like firm performance) show mixed results depending on the metric (e.g., positive for sales, neutral for ROI). 💠Traits & Surface-Level Characteristics: Traits like emotional intelligence, resilience, and openness benefit women more. Gendered expectations and intersectionality (race, age, etc.) further complicate perceptions. 💠Attributions & Perceptions: Stereotypes remain a major barrier, but competent female leaders can benefit from the "double standards of competence" effect. Men often hold stronger biases, though exposure to female leaders can mitigate these views. 💠Behaviors: Women tend to adopt communal and participative leadership styles. Combining agency and communion helps avoid backlash. Transformational leadership styles are only marginally more common among women and sometimes do not benefit women as much as men. 💠Contextual Factors: Work-family balance challenges and male-dominated industries negatively impact leadership trajectories. However, the presence of female mentors and role models, supportive organizational culture, and quota systems can be positive. 💠Crises & the Glass Cliff: Women are more likely to be appointed to risky leadership roles during crises—a phenomenon known as the “glass cliff.” While this may open opportunities, it often lacks the support needed for success. 📌 Key insight: Female leaders thrive when they’re supported by inclusive contexts, visible role models, and leadership development that equips them to navigate both structural and interpersonal challenges. A must-read for anyone designing leadership programs, studying gender equity, or supporting the next generation of leaders. 📖 Citation: Buss, M., Andler, S., & Tiberius, V. (2024). Female leadership: An integrative review and research framework. The Leadership Quarterly. https://lnkd.in/gWAUXmuH #leadership #womenleaders #genderdiversity #leadershipresearch #evidencebasedpractice #leadershipdevelopment #organisationalpsychology

Confidence vs. Competence: Navigating Gender Perceptions in Leadership On January 1st, 2017, I was announced as the Country Manager for Betway Uganda. I was in my 20s, leading a powerful global brand, and soon, the newspapers carried the story. Exciting, right? But with the headlines came the whispers and doubts: 💭 “Will she handle it?” 💭 “Can she navigate the waters of such a high-profile role?” I knew the world was watching. But more importantly, my bosses at the time (God bless them) had seen what others hadn’t. They had confidence in me, and the best way I could honour that trust was to SHOW UP— with both confidence and competence. I understood that I had a mountain to climb, and the only way was through hard work, strategic learning, and resilience. So, I got to work: 📌 Investing more time than most would. 📌 Committing to continuous learning. 📌 Asking the right questions at all stages. 📌Listening more and speaking with intent. 📌Going over and above my expected assignments. 📌Being proactive, solution-oriented, and disciplined. I had to build my competence and own my expertise—not because I had to prove myself to doubters - but because I wanted to lead authentically and confidently. 🔹 Most women in leadership will face this reality: Confidence vs. Competence. 🔹 Some will expect us to prove ourselves over and over again. 🔹 But the real power lies in how we navigate these gender perceptions. Three Ways to Navigate Gender Perceptions in Leadership: 📍Master Your Craft – Competence Silences Doubt: No matter the biases or stereotypes, when you know your work inside out, results will speak louder than any prejudice. Be excellent—let your expertise make the statement. 📍Lead with Confidence – Own Your Space: Confidence is not arrogance—it is assurance in your abilities. If you shrink yourself, people will mirror that doubt. Show up, speak up, and let the world adjust! 📍Build a Strong Support System – You Don’t Have to Walk Alone: Surround yourself with mentors, sponsors, and like-minded professionals who see your potential, challenge your growth, and champion your success To every woman in leadership: You don’t have to choose between confidence and competence. You need both. Own your expertise, trust your journey, and keep breaking barriers. Have you ever felt the pressure of proving yourself as a woman in leadership? Let’s talk in the comments! PS: My name is Coach Adelle. I am a Certified Leadership and Personal Growth Coach, Lawyer, Data Scientist, Human Capital Specialist, Speaker, and Trainer. I help leaders build thriving, high-performing teams with a touch of financial literacy. #CandidTalkWithAdelle #GrowWithAdelle #Leadership #HumanResource #FinancialLiteracy

Wie werden die Führungskompetenzen von Frauen in entsprechenden Positionen eingeschätzt? Damit beschäftigt sich ein Artikel von Jack Zenger und Joe Folkman in der Harvard Business Review Rev. Die Autoren kamen bei ihren Untersuchungen in den USA zu folgenden Ergebnissen: ▶️ Frauen in Führungspositionen wurden von ihren Vorgesetzten (insbesondere den männlichen) auf jeder Hierarchieebene als etwas effektiver als Männer wahrgenommen – auch in männerdominierten Branchen. ▶️ In 84 % der von den Forschenden am häufigsten genannten Kompetenzen wurden Frauen als effektiver eingeschätzt, darunter: Eigeninitiative, Belastbarkeit, Selbstentwicklung, Ergebnisorientierung, Integrität und Ehrlichkeit. ▶️ Zusammengefasst: „Women outscored men on 17 of the 19 capabilities that differentiate excellent leaders from average or poor ones.“ ▶️ In den Bereichen "Entwicklung einer strategischen Perspektive" und "technisches oder berufliches Fachwissen" wurden Männer als besser eingestuft. ▶️ Wenn Frauen sich jedoch selbst beurteilen sollten, waren sie weniger großzügig in ihren Bewertungen. ▶️ Besonders groß war der Unterschied in der Selbsteinschätzung zwischen Frauen und Männern bei den unter 25-Jährigen. HBR: „It’s highly probable that those women are far more competent than they think they are, while the male leaders are overconfident and assuming they are more competent than they are.“ ▶️ Die Eigenbewertung der Frauen in Bezug auf ihre Führungseffektivität stieg jedoch mit zunehmendem Alter deutlich. ▶️ Was mittlerweile recht bekannt ist: Frauen bewerben sich seltener auf Stellen, bei denen sie nicht sicher sind, dass sie die meisten der aufgeführten Qualifikationen erfüllen. (Männer neigen zu der Annahme, dass sie das, was ihnen fehlt, in der neuen Stelle lernen können.) ▶️ Aber auch das hat zwei Seiten: „It’s possible that these lower levels of confidence at younger ages could motivate women to take more initiative, be more resilient, and to be more receptive to feedback from others, which in turn makes them more effective leaders in the long run.“   „Women make highly competent leaders, according to those who work most closely with them — and what’s holding them back is not lack of capability but a dearth of opportunity. When given those opportunities, women are just as likely to succeed in higher level positions as men“, bilanzieren die Autoren und geben Handlungsempfehlungen: „Leaders need to take a hard look at what gets in the way of promoting women in their organizations. Clearly, the unconscious bias that women don’t belong in senior level positions plays a big role. It’s imperative that organizations change the way they make hiring and promotion decisions and ensure that eligible women are given serious consideration. (…) There’s a need for organizations to give more encouragement to women. Leaders can assure them of their competence and encourage them to seek promotions earlier in their careers.“ #herCAREER #genderequality #unconsciousbias

„We should hire for competence. Not gender.“ Then why would we need a #quota for women in leadership positions?👇 They say: „We should hire for competence. Not gender.“ And they are right! But it is tricky, to be honest. 🚩The perception of competence is biased. 🚩A neutral measurement of competence is almost impossible because it consists of achievements in the past as well as future potential. 🚩Therefore, we rely on our experience to evaluate competence. And our experience says: Michael, Thomas and Christian have done the leadership role (successfully) in the past. Therefore we naturally tend to believe that people who are similar to them will do so, too ✔️ Meanwhile we haven’t seen many Kim, Sophie or Mia lead companies so far, let alone Omar, Zaidan or Elif. 🚩 In addition, the social norms in our culture tend to favor male traits in leadership - as long as they are showcased by a man (‚role-congruity-theory‘). 👇 So when it comes to evaluating the potential of candidates, the perception of their competence will be biased. (Yes, even when women or minorities make the choice!) And that is why we need the #quota: To get more Kim, Sophie, Mia, Omar, Zaidan and Elif into higher #leadership positions and showcase their competence. So that one day everyone has the same chances - based on #competence. Not on #gender. 👉 Do you agree? Which point is the strongest in your opinion? _____________ Hi 👋 I am Kim, LinkedIn #TopVoice and passionate coach for female careers with a background in management consulting and research. In 2022 I moved from Germany to the Middle East and started my own business. If you want the extra motivation for your career, just hit #follow 🔔

The study was simple. The results were anything but. At Columbia Business School, Professor Frank Flynn presented his students with a case study about a successful venture capitalist. Half the class received the case with the name “Heidi Roizen,” and the other half saw “Howard Roizen.” The content was identical; only the names differed. The outcome? Both Heidi and Howard were rated as equally competent. But Howard was seen as more likable and someone the students would prefer to work with. Heidi, on the other hand, was perceived as self-promoting and less appealing as a colleague. This isn't just about 1 study. It's a reflection of a broader pattern in corporate culture where ambition and assertiveness are often celebrated in men but penalized in women. It's the (not so) subtle, pervasive bias that whispers to women to downplay their achievements, to be likable rather than authoritative, to fit in rather than stand out. These ingrained perceptions shape our workplaces, influencing who gets hired, who gets promoted, and who gets heard. They create environments where women feel compelled to constantly calibrate their behavior, balancing the fine line between being seen as competent and being perceived as likable. P.S. If you've ever been told to "tone it down" or "not be so aggressive" when asserting yourself, you're not alone. I'm exploring these dynamics and more in my upcoming book, Not Your Good Girl, set to release in Winter 2025. It's a deep exploration into the intersection of ambition, approval, and power in corporate culture. Stay tuned.

Why Women Shouldn’t Have to Prove Themselves Twice... (And How We Can Change It) It’s frustrating when women in leadership are constantly expected to prove their competence again and again. ➔ Doubts about their abilities. ➔ Assumptions they’re not “ready.” ➔ Unequal standards from the start. This cycle can be exhausting and unfair. But here’s the truth: We can break it by building workplaces that trust women’s skills from day one. Here are 5 steps to create environments that trust women leaders: ✅ Challenge Biases Openly ↳ Address stereotypes directly to build a more inclusive culture. ✅ Establish Clear, Equal Standards ↳ Make expectations consistent for everyone, regardless of gender. ✅ Recognize Achievements Publicly ↳ Celebrate accomplishments to reinforce respect for women in leadership. ✅ Provide Mentorship and Support ↳ Create networks that uplift and empower women leaders. ✅ Measure Performance Fairly ↳ Focus on outcomes, not perceptions, to assess skills accurately. Think of it as setting a new baseline of trust. And it starts with recognizing abilities from day one. It’s not easy. But it’s essential. Alisha Ally, Global Development Visionary.

The ongoing debate about effectively closing the gender gap and increasing women’s representation in CEO roles shows no sign of reaching resolution. Some progress has been made— in 2015 NYT revealed that there were more CEOs in the S&P 500 were named John than women - by 2023, Bloomberg are 41 women but still 60 CEOs named James/Robert/John. So clearly more to do. Last Thursday, I attended the Meyler Campbell Annual Lecture, provocatively titled “Why So Many Incompetent Men Become Leaders and How to Fix It,” presented by Dr Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic . The (self-titled) Dr. TCP provided a compelling demonstration of how his research intertwines with real-world leadership dynamics. His core argument highlights a critical issue: the difficulty in accurately evaluating competence often leads us to confuse it with overconfidence, which can have detrimental effects on leadership outcomes. Interestingly, while many leaders exhibit overconfidence, research shows that women tend to possess greater self-awareness, making them less overconfident. While there has been much discussion about increasing women’s confidence, Dr. TCP argues that this focus may address the wrong root cause—slightly lower confidence often actually leads to greater competence. Instead, to combat this bias, we must refine how we assess competence and not overlook capable women (and men) in favor of those who merely project confidence. As we get to end of the year talent reviews, reflect on the methods you use to gather data that informs your assessments. For performance: What does the data say on whether your leaders met their targets and goals? Were these expectations equitably set against their peers? For potential: What behaviors did they exhibit? How did they accelerate progress by active listening and collaboration? Will you take action to close the competence vs confidence gap? Ps. Also loving rediscovering old colleagues via Meyler Campbell including Chieko Sato Shonagh Primrose #GenderEquality #Leadership #DiversityAndInclusion #WomenInLeadership #SelfAwareness #EmotionalIntelligence #LeadershipDevelopment #ClosingTheGap AltText for image: The picture shows the speaker with a slide that says ‘Let me interrupt your expertise with my confidence’. This made me smile but was a good reminder for me (as an natural extrovert) to be thoughtful about meeting inclusion to seek out the views of those with deep knowledge.