This literature review is on Joris Lammers and Anne Gast research article title Stressing the Advantages of Female Leadership Can Place Women at a Disadvantage. Lammers and Gast (2017) write that women still remain underrepresented in management with men holding a majority of the higher positions. Despite this, it is often common to hear that female people-centered leadership skills such as empathy and communication tend to be a better match for the business world. The authors write that this advantage can be used to take over male dominant positions within the leadership. However, positive stereotypes can actually hurt women by suggesting that they are under qualified for leadership roles. Research suggests that these positive stereotypes claim that women are well qualified for leadership positions can actually hurt their chances due to the exaggerated and sensationalist claims contributing to the perpetuation of gender inequality.
It is commonly believed that women possess more people skills such as empathy, talent for communication, and increased cooperativeness within their leadership style. This is thought to become the more important aspect of trending effective leadership within the 21st-century. Lammers and Gast (2017) write that men had the advantage with there be more aggressive, dominant, and directive leadership style, women will have the advantage in the post-industrial society.
Several studies are conducted for this article. A total of for experiments are conducted to test for negative effects on reading female strength on support for affirmative action through the use of online services in adherence to the ethical guidelines for Academic Requesters. Lammers and Gast (2017) write that most media state that women have better people skills compared to man and these skills are a central importance in the post-industrial society. This would suggest that women are destined to take over male dominant rules within management and leadership. The authors write that these processes may, in fact, be self-defeating because they undermine people support for affirmative action and reduce the likelihood that they preferentially pick women for leadership positions (Lammers & Gast, 2017).
Their research would instead suggest that this undermines people support for affirmative action, reducing the likelihood of picking one in for leadership positions. Through this research, the advantages of female leadership should not be thought of the problem being inequality. The authors write that this should instead inspire organizations to use these advantages to make changes in the hiring process for women.
Opinion
This research covers several topics within women in leadership in the modern age. As the title suggests, by stressing the advantages of common traits that women have women in leadership roles, can also prove to be a disadvantage. This is because by stressing these positive stereotypes, I can actually hurt their chances because of exaggerated and sensationalist claims can contribute to the perpetuation of gender inequality. Lammers and Gast (2017) research show that by stressing traits more common in women such as warmth and communication, the stereotypes keep women from leadership positions. This is because they still require some of the more basic traits in leadership such as competitiveness and dominance, which are traits that are stereotypically attributed to men (Eagley & Karau, 2002; Heilman, 2001).
This is interesting because it challenges the way society interprets and views women within leadership positions. By creating preconceive a notion based on advantageous traits that women possess, it inevitably hurts their chances of being placed into high-level leadership positions. While some of these traits may be true, pigeonhole an entire gender based only these traits would show that they lack some of the other necessary traits of being a leader. This, however, is not true and many little women possess the necessary traits and requirements that are required of leaders.
Finally, it’s interesting that the author’s purpose of this research article is to inspire people and organizations to view these advantages that women possess in order to make changes within the industry today. However, it is important for hiring officials to view each candidate holistically rather than focusing on singular traits. This will ensure that organizations are filling positions with the right kind of employees that will fit well into their organizational structure.