International Women's Day: Expect the unexpected – breaking biases

What are the biases?

• Women are less likely to speak up in meetings: Apparently, women are 75% less likely to speak up in a group environment where males outnumber females. There is a common misconception that to be heard in a meeting we must be the loud ‘alpha’ individual. Overlooking the ‘quiet’ ones and their contributions could cost you. We, at PDM, believe that quietly understanding the remit and taking careful consideration before making a suggestion has significant worth.
• Female assertiveness is seen as bossy: Research has shown females were found to be twice as likely to be branded as ‘bossy’ in a workplace compared to males. I struggle to wrap my head around this gender bias. If someone is taking the initiative and leading, why should it matter what gender they are? As long as they deliver results and the process runs smoothly, then gender is irrelevant. Sadly, females are still being labelled ‘bossy’ in managerial positions or when they are just fulfilling their job.
• Women tend to shy away from praise and lowball their abilities: I’ve been guilty of this in the past and from time to time it slips back out. However, I’ve quickly recognised the importance of praise and showcasing your own abilities. After all, if you don’t know what you’re good at, then how can people trust you to do what you do best?
• Women are better at organising and admin: There is a broad generalisation that females are better at this than their male counterparts. There is probably a lot to unpick on why we have this bias. Is it because of media portrayal, social environmental factors or something else? Regardless, I fully embrace this, and believe we can all benefit from amazing organisation and admin but that doesn’t mean only women should perform these tasks.