Positivizing The Meaning Of BIAS

Toward a sustainable future through gender equality

It remains fascinating to hear the statement, “We’ve come a long way” when we refer to groups that have been suppressed throughout centuries, but have made some headway over the past decades. In fact, “having come a long way” is an embarrassing admission of our collective shortsightedness; one that is oftentimes fed by biases against groups that have been part of our human cohort since the beginning of time. Whether we refer to women, people of color, or the differently-abled, it seems that we continuously have to be reminded of their equal right to coexist alongside those in more privileged positions. Humanity, in all of its sophisticated civilized context, still grapples with the unrestrained acceptance of equality for all. The reasons behind this shortfall are as diverse as there are cultures, religions, awareness levels, and historical developments on our planet.

Even though women have long proven their leadership skills, starting with their ability to be the sole carriers, bearers, and nurses of all subsequent generations since human existence, there has been a system in place to largely keep them subdued. This is not simply a result of male dominance, as some may immediately conclude. For far too long, women in many parts of the world and in many layers of society have also strongly contributed to the process of prioritizing male progress at the expense of female opportunity. As is the case with all historical trends, this has been the result of cultural, religious, societal, and other drivers, and not in the least the fact that the male members of society are also their fathers, husbands, and sons.

Yet, in spite of all the progress made in our world today, the representation of men and women in sheer numbers still does not mirror their opportunities and stature in society. While we have about 102 men for every 100 women in the world, the representation of women in leadership positions is still disgraceful, with only 11 percent of the world’s countries having a female head of state or government, 7 percent of these countries having an equal representation of women in the national cabinet, and about 1.6 percent having a balanced representation of women in their national legislature.

In the US alone, women represent 47 percent of the workforce, serve as the primary or sole breadwinner in about 40 percent of families, and obtain more bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees than men, yet, still earn an average of 79 cent for every male-earned dollar, and hold only 21 percent of senior leadership positions. For every 100 men in managerial positions, there are 85 women promoted to the same roles, and women still only make up 8.2 percent of Fortune 500 CEOs, with women of color looking at an even grimmer reality of representing only 1.2 percent.

The percentages fluctuate in different continents and nations, but the overarching message remains disconcerting: there is still no gender equality in our progressive day and age, which means that we have not yet solidified the path toward a sustainable future. 

By consciously internalizing the compelling theme for International Women's Day, “Gender equality today for a sustainable tomorrow,” we could establish a profound and systematic change. This will have to happen through a collective focus on breaking the bias that upholds the skewed status quo. Such a massive effort will only be successful if we reinterpret the very concept that lies at the foundation of it all: bias. Women leaders, especially, are encouraged to consciously and consistently cultivate and polish the following four practices throughout their personal and professional performance:

Belief: Women are fighters, but they are also sensitive to criticism, especially in male-dominated environments.  Yet, in spite of the numerous doubts others (and not in the least their own mind) will cast upon their skills and readiness for the task at hand, women should hold strong to the realization that they do have the power, resilience, and intellectual skills to defy such contentions. Eradicating the persistent underrepresentation of women in leadership positions in many industries and governing bodies should serve as the prevailing driver toward nurturing this inner strength. All high achievers question themselves more often than not, but that’s exactly why they are high achievers: they constantly feel that they need to prove their worth - to the world and to themselves. For every emerging opportunity, there are 100 downsides to be considered. This is not the time to stress on those. It’s time to thrust ahead now that collective awareness is on the rise.

Inspiration: Women leaders should exercise inspiration in two main ways: toward the self and toward others. Regarding their personal inspiration, this can be best acquired when they continue to explore innovative ways to propel the organization in which they serve forward. It is understandable that not all ideas will be rewarded, but the resilience and curious spirit they reveal will be recognized – amongst superiors and subordinates, and the demonstrated grit will open up new pathways, while it may also encourage those following in their footsteps to do the same. Besides: cultivating an innovative mindset is a major advantage toward personal and professional progress.

Regarding the inspiration toward others: this is best exercised by serving as a role-model. Modeling a fair and morally-attuned mindset, showing respect to all stakeholders regardless of their rank or stance, and maintaining a balance between leading and following are key here. Even the most experienced leader can learn something from others, and it is very inspiring when co-workers detect an eagerness in their leader to serve and allow others to shine.

Agility: Women leaders have an innate talent to grasp issues quickly and jump into action. Since so many women carry additional responsibilities at home and in a variety of other settings, they have an innate advantage over their male counterparts to multi-task. While this brings its own mental challenges and should not be exerted on a continuous basis, it is good to know that women have that capacity, and can draw from this skill when needed. Agile behavior also entails receptiveness toward innovation and change. Today’s world is a hotspot of continuous evolution, sparked by a multitude of surprises that force us to shift directions and paradigms to convert unexpected problems into opportunities. Women have an embedded quality to be leaders in this shifting climate of professional performance. 

Support: Women leaders should be supportive to all stakeholders, and thereby maintain a conscious level of encouragement to their fellow gender mates. It has often been pointed out that women have a tendency to demand more from other females at work, sometimes even regressing to bullying, incivility, and relational aggression toward these colleagues. This is an unabated way of subconsciously keeping up the proverbial glass ceiling. As we move through life and work, we invariably encounter others that graciously lend us a hand to move forward. These encounters should serve as inspiration to pay the kindness forward. 

A movement is only strong and successful if there is massive buy-in from those that carry the conviction that it could be propelled forward. We can collectively break the destructive bias against women and other unfairly treated groups in our global society by replacing its negative connotation with a positive one that entails belief in our reciprocal and unlimited leadership abilities, inspiration to assist in the advancement of ourselves and others, agility to convert challenges into opportunities, and support to all those who need a hand up.