My research has shown that even highly competent women often underperform relative to their actual abilities. On this site I introduce five distinct barriers to leadership that women experience in academic, professional and scientific fields.
The good news is that awareness can make a significant difference. The barriers to leadership are real, but there are actions that you can take.
In each section I provide information, research results and questions to help you reflect on your own experiences. I encourage you to keep notes as you read through the material and to write down strategies as you think of them.
The word “leader” is a loaded term. One research study found that when the word “leader” was presented in a written job description for tenure positions, there was a different impact on the promotion of men and women in elite medical schools
Defining your motivation for leadership is important. It might mean advancing in your career, but it also might mean settling work-family conflict. In the hundreds of conversations and interviews I have had with women, this topic is always uppermost.
I present a process to help you integrate your “outside” with your “inside.” That’s what this project is about. Your work is to find your center despite the barriers. Your center is invariably pulled in multiple directions but you can metaphorically turn and reframe by integrating the evidence with your experience.