Sabine Koch (2005) found that competency ratings are directly correlated to gender. In a study women and men were rated by their competency and women were found to be more competent, but when measured against each other men were seen as more competent than women. This finding might be affected by the shifting standards effect that would affect how individuals are rated using target-related expectations, or the expectancy-based contrast effect (Koch, 2005.) It would be an explanation to the higher rating of woman by men than by woman. This study concluded that woman have a higher chance of lower self-esteem thus leading them to “leave the field” which is quitting their job (Koch, 2005.) With both negative attitudes and a low competency rating, women have a harder time in a stereotypical male position. Steps need to be taken to encourage the leadership of women, though expectancy-based contrast effect and shifting standards will continue to hinder women in leadership positions.
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Both males and other females hold women to higher expectations. The expectation of certain qualities affecting the perception of a subordinate, the effectiveness of the leader diminishes and the goals of the organization will falter. This is a large problem for women to overcome. The women will need to figure a way to bridge the gap between perception and the actual level of competency. In order for the leader to become effective, she will need to gain respect and positive responses by both genders, concentrating on winning over the other women in the group that tend to have more negative feelings towards a female leader.
Another article by Yoder, Schleicher and McDonald (1998), deducted that women in authority received more negative feedback from both women and men. They continued to find that even though the individuals used in the study were equally competent, measuring nonverbal leakage, found that participants felt that men were more professionally competent. They continued to find from the survey that a perceived more competent woman than a man, would cause negative feedback from the group. This study also synthesized that the social expectations of women might be lower than that of men, called the shifting standards effect.
This was affirmed when participants measured the competency of the group leaders using an unbiased rating system and independent from participants compared the other sex, showed woman’s rating was better. This affects women when they are being hired, during the interviewing process; women come off as more competent than male interviewees. This study brings to light how society’s perception of women and their ability to effectively lead is directly correlated to competence, an important factor of a quality leader. Without preconceived notions taught by today’s society, women would have a better and more equal chance of being measured by abilities and true fairness that most women strive to be measured by.
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