Gender Stereotyping: Its Impact on Women Leaders - Essay Sample

Introduction

Gender stereotyping is the judgment of people by generalizing them with the gender they are identified with. According to the article, gender not only affects how women leaders view themselves but also how other people view them. Just as women are traditionally viewed as being less suitable as compared to men, female leaders are also presumed to be less adequate compared to male leaders. However, as an individual becomes more exposed the impact of gender stereotyping seems to decrease. The gender stereotypes had judged an individual at first sight with no information, but once they are familiar with the individual leader, then the evaluation becomes more of between category standards rather than within category-standards.

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Team cohesiveness in this context refers to the extent to which members are interested in a group and are willing to continue being part of it. Some indicator of team cohesiveness includes an increase in individual productivity, fewer disagreements, and creativity among team members. Recent research shows that the more the team cohesiveness, the more effective the team is. Teams led by female leaders were also found to be more cohesive as compared to male leaders. This may be due to the empathetic supportive and collaborative nature of women.

Northhouse chapter 15 on gender and leadership stands against the findings in the article. We find that gender prejudice has highly brought a gap between male and female leaders. Unlike in the section where the gender stereotypes change their evaluation of female leadership after getting familiar with them, the North house states that prejudice against women has led to unfavorable attitudes toward female leaders compared to their male counterparts. According to Northouse, the males' argentic qualities thought to be necessary for the leadership role, whereas the common attributes associated with women are not compatible with the leadership role. However, the North house and the article come to terms with the final findings that state that gender is stereotyping can alter the perception and evaluation of female leaders and directly discourage them from taking leadership roles in today's society.

Unlike, in the beginning, female leaders' self- evaluate themselves favorably at the end of the project than the male leaders. Team members also seem to follow the same trend on evaluating female leaders only that the trend fades away as the team develops. This is to say that the impact of gender stereotyping on self-evaluation and evaluation by others of leaders changes as the team grows. Also, groups led by female leaders demonstrate more cohesiveness than those led by male leaders. One of the things covered in the article that is not was learned in Northhouse is the Quantane and colleagues approach that stated that team cohesiveness is affected by two factors that is reciprocity in social interaction and closure.

What I learned in the Northhouse about female leaders is that three factors bar them from being in top leadership roles as men are. These are a human capital investments, differences in leadership styles between genders and prejudice. Women can reclaim their position by trying to cover the existing gap between the genders. The organization should make changes in its norms and culture to provide opportunities for female leaders. To their communal qualities, women could add some agentic attributes that will also help prepare women for more elite leadership roles in society. The North house clearly states that there is a gender gap between influential leaders in today's society. However, the gap is closing in as time passes by the article concurs with this.

Conclusion

In conclusion, society should endeavor to raise children in a non -prejudice manner. This way, no duties are stereotypically associated with a specific gender. This will prepare our children for leadership roles no matter the gender.