UCT VC Phakeng captures all the elements of the unconscious bias of how women are held to a different standard, writes Diko.
Female Leaders are held to a different standard than their male counterparts and the current accusations and counteraccusations around the Vice Chancellor of the University of Cape Town , Mamokgethi Phakeng, captures all these elements of this unconscious bias.
A woman leader who demands excellence and hard work from her subordinates and may occasionally lose her cool when such excellency is not delivered is a bully or as Fiorina says, a ‘Bitch’. A woman leader is not allowed to be upset, she can't lose her cool, and she can't raise her voice, otherwise, she comes out too strong.
Women leaders are forced to conform, they must watch how they dress, their hair, and how they speak - and if they are black they must also watch out not to come across as too black, too aggressive, or too angry. Many women, especially professionals, acknowledge that it is not easy to just be themselves at work.Phakeng has had a much more stable term as a Vice Chancellor than her predecessor Dr Max Price.
Women leaders are still strangled by a heavy yoke of stereotypes that not only affects their prospects at promotion and climbing the ladder but also seeks to dictate how they should behave once they make it into these leadership positions.The stereotypes are even more stratifying and crippling for black women leaders.
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