You would think that being kind and happy at work would make you well-liked and more eligible for a promotion. Well, that's not the case for women.
According to a recent study conducted at Germany’s Technische Universitat Munchen, part of the gender stereotypes that hold women back from reaching top executive roles is that they are too "cheery," which is related to being undisciplined and weak.
According to the study, women are encouraged to be more assertive and avoid smiling often, instead. Interestingly enough, these rules do not apply for men. In fact, there is a positive correlation with men smiling more and obtaining leadership roles.
In my own life experience, and stated in the study, the issue is that employers prematurely expect men to be more successful at a given task than women, before it is even attempted. Therefore, women need an attitude to give them an edge.
We can't completely blame the stereotypes on men - apparently, we set them for ourselves as well. In the study, women were more accepting of male bosses that were tough and disciplinary, than female bosses that had the same traits.
This doesn't mean women have to be someone they are not in the workplace in order to be successful. It simply means that we can't be pushovers. If that makes us bitches, and being bitches makes us successful, then so be it.
Via Technische Universitat Munchen, Photo via Devils Wears Prada
