
公司每年在多元,、公平和包容(DEI)方面投入數(shù)十億美元。然而,,專(zhuān)家預(yù)測(cè),,實(shí)現(xiàn)性別平等仍需要151年。更糟糕的是,,最近的一份報(bào)告顯示,,多年來(lái),從事領(lǐng)導(dǎo)崗位的女性人數(shù)首次出現(xiàn)下降。我們必須要承認(rèn),,當(dāng)今社會(huì)忽視了性別平等難題中的關(guān)鍵一環(huán),。
女性在領(lǐng)導(dǎo)崗位、任期和薪酬方面都落后于男性,。在這個(gè)話題中,,我們經(jīng)常看到一種“我們對(duì)他們”的范式,,即女性與男性對(duì)立,。
就連我們的術(shù)語(yǔ)也強(qiáng)調(diào)這種觀念。例如“玻璃天花板”和最近出現(xiàn)的企業(yè)領(lǐng)導(dǎo)階梯中的“斷裂的階梯”,,都指向限制女性職業(yè)發(fā)展的社會(huì)性別偏見(jiàn),。雖然破壞性的偏見(jiàn)依舊存在,但我們顯然忽視了女性職場(chǎng)經(jīng)歷中的另外一個(gè)因素:女性之間不健康的動(dòng)態(tài)關(guān)系,。
在我的職業(yè)生涯中,,我曾經(jīng)在項(xiàng)目中遭到破壞,在開(kāi)會(huì)時(shí)被排斥,,還曾多次受到失去職位的威脅,,但給我?guī)?lái)這些經(jīng)歷的并不是男性,而是女性,。
一位女性領(lǐng)導(dǎo)曾提出要給我安排一個(gè)總監(jiān)級(jí)別的職位(我已經(jīng)在從事相關(guān)工作,,但薪水沒(méi)有增加)。我對(duì)此持懷疑態(tài)度,,因?yàn)樵谂c她共事的過(guò)程中我了解到,她每次這樣說(shuō),,接下來(lái)都會(huì)提出一個(gè)令人不舒服的要求,。我很快意識(shí)到,為了換取對(duì)這個(gè)職位的正式認(rèn)可,,我需要同意一些條件,,而這些條件在我看來(lái)會(huì)引發(fā)道德問(wèn)題。
當(dāng)我表達(dá)了我的擔(dān)憂并拒絕了這次所謂的“晉升”時(shí),,她告訴我,,我將不再被允許參加會(huì)議,我的其他活動(dòng)也受到了限制,。換句話說(shuō),,“除非有人找我,否則我必須保持沉默,?!?
毋庸置疑,這段經(jīng)歷影響了我的心理健康和工作安全感。我最終選擇了離職,,但在其他地方又遭遇了類(lèi)似的情況,。
盡管“女性支持女性”的說(shuō)法很受歡迎,但數(shù)據(jù)顯示,,我的經(jīng)歷并不罕見(jiàn),。一項(xiàng)調(diào)查發(fā)現(xiàn),對(duì)于職場(chǎng)女性霸凌現(xiàn)象,,有65%的霸凌者是女性,。
男性可能會(huì)選擇更公開(kāi)或更直接的策略,但另外一項(xiàng)調(diào)查發(fā)現(xiàn),,女性往往會(huì)采取隱蔽或間接的霸凌行為,,例如社交孤立、散播謠言或者施加同伴壓力,,以引發(fā)他人做出某種行為等,,而公司很難發(fā)現(xiàn)和管理這種情況。
還有多項(xiàng)研究發(fā)現(xiàn),,女性之間的不良動(dòng)態(tài)關(guān)系非常嚴(yán)重,,以至于女性會(huì)考慮離職,這個(gè)問(wèn)題讓雇員和雇主都付出沉重代價(jià),。
盡管有這些嚴(yán)峻的統(tǒng)計(jì)數(shù)據(jù),,但在關(guān)于為什么公司高層女性較少的討論中,很少會(huì)涉及到女性之間的動(dòng)態(tài)關(guān)系,。
讓我們敞開(kāi)心扉,,進(jìn)行一場(chǎng)更加平衡的對(duì)話,認(rèn)識(shí)到男性和女性都需要努力,,才能提高女性的領(lǐng)導(dǎo)地位,。
“斷裂的階梯”出現(xiàn)的原因應(yīng)該不分性別。作為女性,,我們必須認(rèn)識(shí)到我們對(duì)待彼此的方式,,會(huì)影響有多少女性堅(jiān)持下去并成為領(lǐng)導(dǎo)者。我們應(yīng)該為彼此做得更好,。
重要的是,,單純?cè)黾优灶I(lǐng)導(dǎo)者的數(shù)量,并不能解決根深蒂固的問(wèn)題,,例如競(jìng)爭(zhēng)或隱性性別偏見(jiàn)等,。雖然人們認(rèn)為從事高層崗位的女性,會(huì)倡議更多女性進(jìn)入領(lǐng)導(dǎo)層,,但數(shù)據(jù)卻并沒(méi)有完全反映出這一點(diǎn),。耶魯大學(xué)(Yale)的一項(xiàng)研究顯示,,即使候選者履歷相同,女性也會(huì)選擇男性候選者,,而不是選擇同性,。
女性可能認(rèn)為,領(lǐng)導(dǎo)崗位數(shù)量有限,,那些令人垂涎的崗位必然會(huì)引發(fā)競(jìng)爭(zhēng),。公司應(yīng)該鼓勵(lì)女性高層提拔能勝任的基層女性。這可以確保女性不斷晉升到領(lǐng)導(dǎo)層,,又能減少對(duì)競(jìng)爭(zhēng)的恐慌,。
至于領(lǐng)導(dǎo)層級(jí),許多公司采用垂直報(bào)告結(jié)構(gòu),,即有一個(gè)人負(fù)責(zé)把關(guān),,直接向上級(jí)領(lǐng)導(dǎo)報(bào)告,以此類(lèi)推,。
首先,,這會(huì)孤立高層領(lǐng)導(dǎo)者,使他們更難了解員工的實(shí)際經(jīng)歷,。如果領(lǐng)導(dǎo)者不知道公司文化正在遭到破壞,,他們就無(wú)法解決問(wèn)題,因此問(wèn)題變得更加普遍,。
其次,,研究顯示65%的霸凌行為是自上而下的,因此報(bào)告結(jié)構(gòu)不應(yīng)該依賴(lài)員工與上司之間可能存在的不良人際關(guān)系,。橫向領(lǐng)導(dǎo)結(jié)構(gòu)讓員工有機(jī)會(huì)接觸多位高層領(lǐng)導(dǎo),,以解決他們關(guān)心的問(wèn)題。
對(duì)于領(lǐng)導(dǎo)崗位上的男女不平等問(wèn)題,,我們的傳統(tǒng)看法忽視了一個(gè)重要部分,,而這部分有強(qiáng)有力的證據(jù)作為證明。我們必須承認(rèn)女性相互之間的影響,,并通過(guò)賦能女性修復(fù)“斷裂的階梯”。(財(cái)富中文網(wǎng))
本文作者凱瑟琳·普雷斯頓是一位主題演講人,、企業(yè)顧問(wèn),、創(chuàng)業(yè)者和研究職場(chǎng)女性動(dòng)態(tài)關(guān)系的專(zhuān)家。她面向科技,、醫(yī)療等領(lǐng)域的團(tuán)隊(duì),、組織和領(lǐng)導(dǎo)者,就如何提高職場(chǎng)對(duì)女性的包容度提供指導(dǎo),,倡導(dǎo)人們了解女性在生活和事業(yè)中的獨(dú)特經(jīng)歷,。
譯者:劉進(jìn)龍
審校:汪皓
公司每年在多元、公平和包容(DEI)方面投入數(shù)十億美元。然而,,專(zhuān)家預(yù)測(cè),,實(shí)現(xiàn)性別平等仍需要151年。更糟糕的是,,最近的一份報(bào)告顯示,,多年來(lái),從事領(lǐng)導(dǎo)崗位的女性人數(shù)首次出現(xiàn)下降,。我們必須要承認(rèn),,當(dāng)今社會(huì)忽視了性別平等難題中的關(guān)鍵一環(huán)。
女性在領(lǐng)導(dǎo)崗位,、任期和薪酬方面都落后于男性,。在這個(gè)話題中,我們經(jīng)??吹揭环N“我們對(duì)他們”的范式,,即女性與男性對(duì)立。
就連我們的術(shù)語(yǔ)也強(qiáng)調(diào)這種觀念,。例如“玻璃天花板”和最近出現(xiàn)的企業(yè)領(lǐng)導(dǎo)階梯中的“斷裂的階梯”,,都指向限制女性職業(yè)發(fā)展的社會(huì)性別偏見(jiàn)。雖然破壞性的偏見(jiàn)依舊存在,,但我們顯然忽視了女性職場(chǎng)經(jīng)歷中的另外一個(gè)因素:女性之間不健康的動(dòng)態(tài)關(guān)系,。
在我的職業(yè)生涯中,我曾經(jīng)在項(xiàng)目中遭到破壞,,在開(kāi)會(huì)時(shí)被排斥,,還曾多次受到失去職位的威脅,但給我?guī)?lái)這些經(jīng)歷的并不是男性,,而是女性,。
一位女性領(lǐng)導(dǎo)曾提出要給我安排一個(gè)總監(jiān)級(jí)別的職位(我已經(jīng)在從事相關(guān)工作,但薪水沒(méi)有增加),。我對(duì)此持懷疑態(tài)度,,因?yàn)樵谂c她共事的過(guò)程中我了解到,她每次這樣說(shuō),,接下來(lái)都會(huì)提出一個(gè)令人不舒服的要求,。我很快意識(shí)到,為了換取對(duì)這個(gè)職位的正式認(rèn)可,,我需要同意一些條件,,而這些條件在我看來(lái)會(huì)引發(fā)道德問(wèn)題。
當(dāng)我表達(dá)了我的擔(dān)憂并拒絕了這次所謂的“晉升”時(shí),,她告訴我,,我將不再被允許參加會(huì)議,,我的其他活動(dòng)也受到了限制。換句話說(shuō),,“除非有人找我,,否則我必須保持沉默?!?
毋庸置疑,,這段經(jīng)歷影響了我的心理健康和工作安全感。我最終選擇了離職,,但在其他地方又遭遇了類(lèi)似的情況,。
盡管“女性支持女性”的說(shuō)法很受歡迎,但數(shù)據(jù)顯示,,我的經(jīng)歷并不罕見(jiàn),。一項(xiàng)調(diào)查發(fā)現(xiàn),對(duì)于職場(chǎng)女性霸凌現(xiàn)象,,有65%的霸凌者是女性,。
男性可能會(huì)選擇更公開(kāi)或更直接的策略,但另外一項(xiàng)調(diào)查發(fā)現(xiàn),,女性往往會(huì)采取隱蔽或間接的霸凌行為,,例如社交孤立、散播謠言或者施加同伴壓力,,以引發(fā)他人做出某種行為等,,而公司很難發(fā)現(xiàn)和管理這種情況。
還有多項(xiàng)研究發(fā)現(xiàn),,女性之間的不良動(dòng)態(tài)關(guān)系非常嚴(yán)重,,以至于女性會(huì)考慮離職,這個(gè)問(wèn)題讓雇員和雇主都付出沉重代價(jià),。
盡管有這些嚴(yán)峻的統(tǒng)計(jì)數(shù)據(jù),,但在關(guān)于為什么公司高層女性較少的討論中,很少會(huì)涉及到女性之間的動(dòng)態(tài)關(guān)系,。
讓我們敞開(kāi)心扉,,進(jìn)行一場(chǎng)更加平衡的對(duì)話,認(rèn)識(shí)到男性和女性都需要努力,,才能提高女性的領(lǐng)導(dǎo)地位,。
“斷裂的階梯”出現(xiàn)的原因應(yīng)該不分性別。作為女性,,我們必須認(rèn)識(shí)到我們對(duì)待彼此的方式,會(huì)影響有多少女性堅(jiān)持下去并成為領(lǐng)導(dǎo)者,。我們應(yīng)該為彼此做得更好,。
重要的是,,單純?cè)黾优灶I(lǐng)導(dǎo)者的數(shù)量,并不能解決根深蒂固的問(wèn)題,,例如競(jìng)爭(zhēng)或隱性性別偏見(jiàn)等,。雖然人們認(rèn)為從事高層崗位的女性,會(huì)倡議更多女性進(jìn)入領(lǐng)導(dǎo)層,,但數(shù)據(jù)卻并沒(méi)有完全反映出這一點(diǎn),。耶魯大學(xué)(Yale)的一項(xiàng)研究顯示,即使候選者履歷相同,,女性也會(huì)選擇男性候選者,,而不是選擇同性。
女性可能認(rèn)為,,領(lǐng)導(dǎo)崗位數(shù)量有限,,那些令人垂涎的崗位必然會(huì)引發(fā)競(jìng)爭(zhēng)。公司應(yīng)該鼓勵(lì)女性高層提拔能勝任的基層女性,。這可以確保女性不斷晉升到領(lǐng)導(dǎo)層,,又能減少對(duì)競(jìng)爭(zhēng)的恐慌。
至于領(lǐng)導(dǎo)層級(jí),,許多公司采用垂直報(bào)告結(jié)構(gòu),,即有一個(gè)人負(fù)責(zé)把關(guān),直接向上級(jí)領(lǐng)導(dǎo)報(bào)告,,以此類(lèi)推,。
首先,這會(huì)孤立高層領(lǐng)導(dǎo)者,,使他們更難了解員工的實(shí)際經(jīng)歷,。如果領(lǐng)導(dǎo)者不知道公司文化正在遭到破壞,他們就無(wú)法解決問(wèn)題,,因此問(wèn)題變得更加普遍,。
其次,研究顯示65%的霸凌行為是自上而下的,,因此報(bào)告結(jié)構(gòu)不應(yīng)該依賴(lài)員工與上司之間可能存在的不良人際關(guān)系,。橫向領(lǐng)導(dǎo)結(jié)構(gòu)讓員工有機(jī)會(huì)接觸多位高層領(lǐng)導(dǎo),以解決他們關(guān)心的問(wèn)題,。
對(duì)于領(lǐng)導(dǎo)崗位上的男女不平等問(wèn)題,,我們的傳統(tǒng)看法忽視了一個(gè)重要部分,而這部分有強(qiáng)有力的證據(jù)作為證明,。我們必須承認(rèn)女性相互之間的影響,,并通過(guò)賦能女性修復(fù)“斷裂的階梯”。(財(cái)富中文網(wǎng))
本文作者凱瑟琳·普雷斯頓是一位主題演講人,、企業(yè)顧問(wèn),、創(chuàng)業(yè)者和研究職場(chǎng)女性動(dòng)態(tài)關(guān)系的專(zhuān)家,。她面向科技、醫(yī)療等領(lǐng)域的團(tuán)隊(duì),、組織和領(lǐng)導(dǎo)者,,就如何提高職場(chǎng)對(duì)女性的包容度提供指導(dǎo),倡導(dǎo)人們了解女性在生活和事業(yè)中的獨(dú)特經(jīng)歷,。
譯者:劉進(jìn)龍
審校:汪皓
Companies spend billions annually on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). However, experts predict that gender parity will lag for another 151 years. Worse, a recent report showed that, for the first time in years, the number of women in leadership is declining. It’s time to recognize society has overlooked a key piece of the gender parity puzzle.
Women trail men in leadership roles, workplace tenure, and compensation. Understandably, the conversation often assumes an us-versus-them paradigm in which women are pitted against men.
Even our terminology emphasizes this construct. Terms like the “glass ceiling” and, more recently, the “broken rung” in the corporate leadership ladder point the finger at society’s gender biases for limiting women’s professional advancement. While damaging biases still exist, we notably neglect to acknowledge another factor in women’s workplace experiences: unhealthy dynamics between women.
In my career, I’ve been undermined in projects, excluded from meetings, and threatened with loss of my position on multiple occasions, but not by men—by other women.
A female leader once offered me a director-level position (for work I was already doing, with no increase in pay). I was skeptical, as I had learned through working with her that an offer almost always precedes an uncomfortable ask. I quickly realized that, in exchange for official recognition in this role, I’d need to agree to terms that raised ethical questions in my mind.
When I expressed my concerns and subsequently declined this so-called “promotion,” she informed me that I would no longer be permitted in meetings and restricted my other activities. In other words, “Don’t speak unless spoken to.”
Needless to say, this experience impacted my emotional health and sense of safety in my job. I ultimately left this role but encountered similar dynamics elsewhere in other ways.
Despite the popular narrative that “women support women,” the data reflects that my experience isn’t uncommon. When considering female bullies in the workplace, one survey found women target women 65% of the time.
While men may opt for more overt or direct tactics, another survey found that women tend to engage in covert or indirect bullying, such as social isolation, spreading rumors, or peer pressure to elicit a behavior from someone, all of which can be difficult for organizations to detect and manage.
Multiple studies also found that toxic dynamics between women can be serious enough that women consider leaving their jobs, which poses an expensive problem for employees and employers alike.
Despite these stark statistics, dynamics between women are rarely (if ever) part of the discussion about why there are fewer women at the top of organizations.
Let’s open ourselves to a more balanced conversation that recognizes both men and women have work to do in elevating women to leadership roles.
The cause of the “broken rung” should be seen as gender-neutral. As women, we need to recognize that how we treat one another impacts how many of us stick around to rise in leadership. We should do better for one another.
Importantly, simply increasing the number of women in leadership doesn’t address deep-rooted issues, like competition or implicit gender bias. While it was thought that women in senior roles would advocate for the rise of other women entering leadership, the data doesn’t entirely reflect this. A Yale study demonstrated that women chose a male candidate over another woman, even when they had identical resumes.
Women may believe there are limited seats available at the leadership table, which inherently drives competition for those coveted spots. Company incentives should exist for senior-level women to promote qualified junior-level women. This ensures the continuous advancement of women into leadership while diminishing fears of competition.
As for leadership hierarchies, many organizations have vertical reporting structures, where a single person serves as the gatekeeper to the leader directly above them, and so on.
First, this isolates senior leadership, making it more difficult for them to understand their employees’ actual experiences. If a leader is unaware that the company culture is being undermined, they can’t address the problem and, therefore, it becomes more pervasive.
Second, since research shows that 65% of bullying occurs top-down, reporting structures shouldn’t rely on the potential for poor interpersonal dynamics between an employee and their supervisor. Lateral leadership structures provide employees with access to multiple senior-level leaders to address their concerns.
Our traditional approach to the disparity between women and men in leadership ignores an important part of the discussion that is strongly backed by evidence. It’s time to recognize women’s impact on one another—and empower them to fix the broken rung.
Kathryn Preston is a keynote speaker, corporate consultant, entrepreneur, and expert on dynamics between women in the workplace. She coaches teams, organizations, and leaders in tech, healthcare, and beyond on how to make workplaces more inclusive for women, advocating for awareness of the unique experiences women face in life and business.