Contents
The Image of the Leader in the Company: A Key Element of Organizational Culture
One might think that women have a hard time identifying with the entrenched image of a leader. This mental model, as it exists in many companies, is closer to a masculine prototype than a feminine one. This makes it harder for women to identify with it. But that doesn’t mean it’s up to them to adapt. Why shouldn’t this archetype change to make more room for gender diversity and, more broadly, for values of care?
We believe that many employees—including men—struggle today to see themselves in this image of a leader, which is deeply rooted in the organizational culture of many companies. We believe this image is bound to evolve, in step with society and its expectations. Indeed, while 79% of French employees say they do not aspire to become managers (Audencia & BVA Survey; 2017), women are not the only ones included in this statistic.
Based on the findings in the scientific literature on these topics, we propose three areas of focus that companies can address to promote gender diversity in career paths.
Incorporating Feminist Values into One's Leadership Model
While the concept of “feminine values” may be open to debate, this distinction exists in Hofstede’s model, which is used to compare national cultures and can also be used to compare organizational cultures. Others rename this “masculinity-femininity” axis “competition-cooperation,” but, on Hofstede’s official website it is now referred to as “Motivation toward achievement and success.” This demonstratesthat gender diversity is indeed a factor in the values associated with professional success.
Even though values are not inherently feminine or masculine, there are gender-based differences in education and socialization. To reduce inequalities, we could therefore draw inspiration from values traditionally considered feminine when defining our leadership model and organizational culture.
Masculine Values
- Assertive and Decisive Leaders
- Prevalence of work
- Success defined as winning or being the best
- The Pursuit of Material Success
- Values of Ownership and Prosperity
- Competitions and Awards
- Open and intense conflicts
- Win-Lose Scenarios
- Aggression
- Fighting Spirit
Feminine Values
- Leaders who are approachable, inclusive, and compassionate
- Work-Life Balance
- Success Defined by Quality of Life
- Seeking Consensus
- Values of mutual aid and solidarity
- Education and Equity
- Conflicts Resolved Through Discussion
- Win-Win Solutions
- Cooperation
- Mutual Recognition
This does not mean that these values must necessarily be embodied by women. In fact, we believe that a male leader who embodies feminine values could inspire more women than a female leader who embodies a model that has remained unchanged.
Make more room for individuality in organizational culture
Another strategy may be to let each employee feel that they have the opportunity to deviate from the prevailing model and achieve success according to their own conception of it. This is where another cultural dimension comes into play: “tightness-looseness,” which describes the degree of influence that norms have and qualifies the impact of other cultural dimensions. According to the study by Toh and Leonardelli (2013)2, in more flexible cultures, there are more women in leadership positions.
We can also cite four other cultural dimensions of Hofstede’s model that Stoermer, Bader, and Froese (2016) link to a culture of inclusion. These are low power distance, low uncertainty avoidance, long-term orientation (rather than short-term), and collectivism (rather than individualism). These are all avenues that could help shape a new leadership model and a new organizational culture, better aligned with the challenges of our time; these values have been shown to promote inclusion and, through it, innovation as well.
Numerous studies have shown that a culture that fosters inclusion knows how to value diversity in perspectives, backgrounds, and profiles. However,leaders mustembody this diversity by setting a good example. It therefore seems worthwhile to seek out leaders who are different from one another and who are capable of articulating their individual perspectives and personal needs.
To create, in practice, a more inclusive organizational culture
While organizational culture can be defined in theoretical terms and formalized in a model, it must then be put into practice and translated into concrete behaviors.
Several studies have been conducted on the factors that may hinder women’s access to decision-making positions, including the study by Rutherford (2001), supplemented by Lee-Gosselin and Ann (2011) and Ponchut and Barth (2012). By synthesizing the findings of these three studies, we can identify five key areas to focus on in order to foster a corporate culture that supports women’s advancement into leadership positions. For each area, we provide examples of elements that, when identified within an organizational culture, serve as potential levers for action.
Examples of cultural factors that should be changed to improve access to decision-making positions
1. Management Style
- Male traits are more highly valued and recognized than female traits
- Women who feel the need to assert themselves in a man's world and exceed expectations to secure their place
2. Balancing Work and Personal Life
- Time-management practices and job requirements involving long workdays
- The Value of Overinvestment and Prioritizing Work Over Personal Life
- Must be available in the evenings and on weekends
- Geographic Mobility Requirements
3. Relationships and Communication
- A style of humor that involves jokes about sexuality or work hours
- There is little room for emotion in communications
- An abundance of sports, military, or sexual metaphors
- Women who must (diplomatically) deal with the sexual attraction they generate / Sexual harassment
- A significant male presence in senior management and predominantly male networks that influence promotions
- Informal relationships that make women feel they lack credibility
4. Managing Issues of Equality and Diversity
- Denial of the Impact of Gender on Career Paths
- Lack of commitment and willingness on the part of senior leaders to change the representation of women within the organization
- Lack of integration of equity considerations into the organization’s other strategic priorities
- Low social acceptance of the measures implemented to accelerate women's advancement within the organization
5. Buildings and Physical Artifacts
- Interior design and decoration that convey a sense of conformity (attachment to traditions and values) versus modernity (changing practices and attitudes)
Factors Influencing Women's Career Paths
Unsurprisingly, the central role of work and its balance with personal life are key factors influencing women’s career paths. While the gendered impact can be attributed to issues of values and gender-differentiated upbringing, it is also linked to tangible realities, in a context where women still perform the vast majority of domestic work (INSEE, 2023).
In addition to embracing more collective and compassionate values, organizations—if they want to retain and help their female talent grow—will need to implement measures that promote a better balance between work and personal life and other priorities. By restoring equality without putting men at a disadvantage compared to women, these measures will lead to improvements for everyone, fostering an organizational culture that promotes quality of life at work.
What role do women play in the digital world?
Women account for just 26.9% of the workforce in the digital professions, all professions combined. This figure was published in March 2023 by the Femmes @ Numérique association.
Another figure: only 16% of women work in the so-called technical professions. In fact, women who choose to work in the digital sector are mainly attracted to transformation-related positions. What are the reasons for this, and what possible solutions can be found? And how can we prevent this from happening again in the years to come?
12 skills for leadership development
Leadership development requires 12 key competencies. These managerial skills are becoming increasingly important in companies, helping them to develop resilience, promote the hybridization of skills, and build a culture of innovation.
Rethinking corporate culture in the age of hybrid work?
Too few managers really consider the subject of corporate culture. Quite often, it's taken for granted, with some not hesitating to speak of the company's DNA.
