Women Leaders: Powerhouses and Pain Points

Have you ever been passed up for a promotion by a male counterpart? Or found out you were paid less than a coworker with less experience? Research from Leadership Circle recently found that, ”female leaders show up more effectively than their male counterparts across every management level and age level.” So why is it that only 10% of Fortune 500 companies have female CEOs in 2023? It sure doesn’t feel like women are being compensated or promoted like highly effective leaders. In fact, eightfold.ai found that women were 65% more likely to be laid off than men in recent tech layoffs. Female forms of leadership like emotional intelligence and humility are less frequently recognized. This lack of visibility has repercussions that impact women's career progression and ultimately, their wallets.

Braggin Boldly host Morgan McCaughey sat down with the women of Unapologetic Audacity, Sarah Filicetti, Global Program Manager, and Jenna Starkey, Sales Account Manager, to discuss what it’s like to be a fem leader in the workplace. 

What we heard is that there is a dichotomy in fem leadership: Empathetic female bosses vs toxic female bosses who have “queen bee syndrome.” Empathetic female bosses lead based on their values, acting as servant leaders and advocates that make everyone around them feel heard and more effective. Toxic female bosses can often be aggressive and ruthless, looking out for themselves above all else. These women have actually internalized the traits of toxic masculinity, losing their sense of empathy in order to be seen as a competent leader by their male superiors. “Women who report to women experience a greater frequency of bullying, abuse and job sabotage,” according to research from the University of Arizona. 

But how hard is it for women  to get into leadership in the first place? The “Broken Rung” is a social theory that women are gatekept from advancement once they reach middle management levels. Essentially, men and women are promoted at the same rates as early career employees, but as they progress, women find more barriers to promotion than men. 

In fact, the Women In The Workplace report from McKinsey found that for every 100 men promoted from Entry Level to Manager, only 87 white women receive the same promotion, and the numbers are worse for Women of Color (82 women promoted for every 100 men) and Latina women (75 women promoted for every 100 men). 

Women leaders face roadblocks to success both from societal structures and often from each other. If you’re a female leader, we’d love to hear about the struggles you face. Comment below to let us know about the female bosses you’ve loved and hated. 

Check out the recording to hear more about our discussion on the ups and downs of female leaders.