A woman’s got to be what a woman’s got to be? How managerial assessment centers perpetuate gender inequality

Abstract

Why do women receive equal or better performance ratings than men in managerial assessment centers even when they are structured in ways that systematically disadvantage them? This study provides the first attempt to understand this managerial assessment center gender paradox using in-depth interviews with managerial assessment center evaluators for a large semi-military governmental organization. The study revealed that the managerial assessment center was a gendered environment in which organizational practices, language used, and the underlying logic establish and reinforce men as assertive or protectors and women as weak and in need of protection. In accordance with the managerial assessment center gender paradox, women were successful at the managerial assessment center despite systemic bias against them. Interpretive analysis revealed that women candidates generate discomfort that evaluators alleviate by increased attention to the extent to which they conform to gender ideology. We coin the term ‘benevolence effect’ to describe evaluators’ tendency to over-valuate and advance women candidates who conform to traditional stereotypes of white femininity. The benevolence effect paradoxically contributes to the preservation and perpetuation of the sexual binary and the idealization of the abstract manager as male-bodied in the organization, even as it contributes to the promotion of women.

Wo∼Men and Leadership: Re-Thinking the State of Research on Gender and Leadership Through Waves of Feminist Thinking

“…Attributes like empathy and collaboration, often stereotypically ascribed to women (Fletcher, 1994(Fletcher, , 2004, are central to post-heroic styles such as transformational and servant leadership. This view supports a "female advantage" narrative (Eagly & Carli, 2003;Kark et al, 2024a) for those embodying these leadership styles.…”

“…This leads to different gender stereotypes and attributions that render women less capable. Accordingly, to gain success in organizations and achieve leadership positions, women must adapt to and demonstrate the required traits and skills (Kark et al, 2024a;Zheng et al, 2018aZheng et al, , 2018b. Thus, gender reform feminism fosters a "fixing the women" perspective resulting in interventions that educate women on how to keep up with men (Ely & Meyerson, 2000).…”

“…Third, suggesting a "female advantage" for certain "feminine" leadership styles may just reinforce binary gender stereotypes (Calás & Smircich, 1993;Kark et al, 2024a). Fourth, it oversimplifies the diverse realities of women, suggesting common "attributes" and a collective, homogenized "experience" for all women (Bell et al, 2019;Gillis et al, 2007;Kark, 2004), which can be viewed as an ethnocentric unification of women's behaviors and challenges (Alvesson & Billing, 1997;Mohanty, 1984).…”

“…This might be explained by the gender paradox (Rosener, 1995) and failure of the "female advantage" (Fletcher, 2004), suggesting that when heroic leadership frames are used women may be held back (Rudman & Glick, 2001), but also the growing recognition of post-heroic leadership theories and their effectiveness may not allow women to gain acknowledgment and power, since men using these leadership behaviors may be seen more worthy of praise, and receive a bonus (Kark et al, 2012). Furthermore, women who act in a stereotypical "feminine" manner, may be praised over women showing "masculine" behaviors, thus sustaining the existing gendered structure (Kark et al, 2024a).…”

Жіноче Лідерство У Збройних Силах: Виклики Та Перспективи

“…Гендерні [15], а чоловіки та мужність завжди оцінюються позитивно порівняно з жінками [8]. У переважно чоловічій, традиційно маскулінній організації, такій як збройні сили, вплив гендерних стереотипів часто проявляється в тенденції військового керівництва під час призначення на ключові керівні посади орієнтуватися на особисті якості, які є більш характерними для чоловіків, ніж для жінок [23]. Типовий чоловік розглядається як представник групи лідерського типу -він легше ухвалює рішення, є більш незалежним, упевненим у собі, конкурентоспроможним, і, навпаки, вважається, що типова жінка більш чуйна, добра, ніжна та емоційно нестійка [2].…”