Why is breaking into work categories stereotyped by gender so Essay

Why is breaking into work categories stereotyped by gender so difficult - Essay Example Bill Gates or Jack Welch comes immediately to mind. But why don’t people think of women leaders, such as Meg Whitman or Katherine Graham, who are on the same list of top influential and prominent business leaders? Some experts say it is because stereotypes visualize men as a much more natural fit for high ranking leadership positions than women. Gender stereotyping pollutes the workplace. It portrays women as lacking the very qualities that people commonly associate with effective leadership. As a result, they often create false perceptions that women leaders just don’t measure up to men in important ways. Though there are other stereotypes which are present in the workplace where women begin to break into the top ranks or executive positions, but the breaking is slow. No one knows exactly the main reasons for women’s struggle. Some experts say: â€Å"It’s a result of the common excuses for not ‘trusting’ women in the highest leadership situations. They’re not strong enough. They’re too conciliatory; too emotional. They don’t know how to ‘play the game.† Although these reasons seem to be childish, there is an old-fashioned perception of women’s inabilities that is persistent in almost every workplace. Men consider women to be less skilled at problem-solving, one of the qualities most associated wit effective leadership. Because of this stereotyping, people lose faith in women’s problem-solving competence that is why they may be reluctant to follow the directions of women leaders. With their problem-solving skills undermined, women lose interpersonal power. This means that instead of using their credibility or expertise to influence followers, women may have to rely on their status or position to influence others. Being exposed to women leaders doesn’t necessarily lessen stereotyping; often, it reinforces stereotyping, creating even more â€Å"extreme perceptions† of differences between