Women are less likely to negotiate their salaries, earn less than men,
and are underrepresented at the highest levels of business. Narratives
that explain these problems often focus on what women can do differently
– to “lean in”, to negotiate harder, to stop apologising, to be more
assertive, and so on.
Stefanie O’Connell explains how these narratives, problematic in
themselves in the way that they blame women for problems they have
little control over, can also have unpleasant side effects. Women who
adopt these more assertive behaviours, and show their ambition clearly,
often face a backlash for doing so:
“A 2020 study linked this backlash directly to ambition: when women
were arbitrarily assigned leadership positions, they were less likely
to be found unlikeable. It was only when a woman was actively pursuing
a leadership position that she encountered penalties. This suggests
that more than power, influence or success, women are penalized for
the pursuit of those things. This shows up in tangible outcomes, like
the denial of job opportunities, raises and promotions – all of which
can make building wealth harder.”
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