Prior Catalyst research reveals that women and men senior executives have the same ambition and employ similar success strategies; yet, the gender gap in business leadership persists. Why? Women executives report that they face an additional layer of cultural and environmental barriers to their achievement, which men only infrequently experience. Chief among these barriers is stereotyping.
This report presents evidence of gender stereotyping in senior managers’ evaluations of women and men leaders. It reveals that:
Gender-based stereotyping persists in the workplace.
This stereotyping can misrepresent the true talents of women leaders, potentially undermining women’s leadership and posing serious challenges to their career advancement.