Lately, I’ve been thinking about the challenges of being a female executive. I think it goes without saying that there is a double standard for female leaders. I often wonder if the challenges that I face as a leader would be the same for a male leader. I think that the art of leadership is a tough one for all people, but doubly more for a female leader for whom the expectations can be even more complex. As a female leader, you are expected to embody the toughness of a decisive boss, but perhaps to also have the nurturing side for your team. You are expected be firm, but too firm is considered bitchy.
Another trend that I’ve been considering of late is the particular glee our society takes in watching female leaders falter. I absolutely believe that the schadenfreude is tinged with more than a little bit of sexism. Whether it’s Elizabeth Holmes of Theranos, Sophia Amoruso of Nasty Gal, or Miki Agrawal of Thinx, there is a special sort of joyful public shaming that is reserved for these women. How dare she? Who does she think she is?
For sure, these are not women who have all followed the rules and or made perfect decisions. But, why is that we allow for the boys a shot at redemption and women must be branded with the Scarlet A? Isn’t it time we start to examine our own embedded sexist notions about leaders and what happens when they’re imperfect? In a man, it’s forgiveable, in a woman, it’s a cause to light the torches and BURN IT DOWN.
Finally, in light of the latest Game of Thrones, let us take Cersei for a moment. To be sure, she is a nasty piece of work. Ruthless, brutal, cold. She, however, her father’s daughter and she is roundly criticized for playing the Game of Thrones like a man. She plays it as her father did, as Robert Baratheon did. Hell, she was less brutal than Stannis Baratheon. Do we hate her because she’s ruthless or do we hate her more
because she’s a ruthless woman who is willing to grab power with both hands?
