11/13/2024

When Qualified Women Resist the Leader Label

More women than men are less likely to view themselves as leaders

Sarah, a manager in a bustling tech company, consistently delivers top results. Her team outperforms others, her strategic insights drive innovation and her emotional intelligence allows her to easily navigate complex stakeholder relationships. By all measures, Sarah is an exemplary leader. Yet, when asked if she sees herself as a leader, Sarah hesitates. "I'm just doing my job," she says with a shrug.

Sarah is not alone. Indeed, research reveals a startling disconnect: Although women often outperform men in leadership effectiveness, they are less likely to identify as leaders.

This isn't just about modesty or impostor syndrome; it is an invisible misalignment between competence and identity that powerfully skews the leadership landscape. Seeing oneself as a leader is often a preliminary step to being seen as a leader by others, yet this identification process is more fraught for women than for men, particularly in the workplace.

Please select this link to read the complete article from MIT Sloan Management Review.