Why should men be concerned about the labyrinth of women's leadership?

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

The “labyrinth” of women’s leadership comprises social and structural inequalities which affect not only women’s opportunities for leadership success but also to a large extent those of racial, class, or sexual minority status. For instance, a soft-spoken homosexual man might be faced with similar advancement barriers as a woman when confronted with the stereotype of an effective leader needing to be agentic rather than communal. Addressing the “labyrinth” would work to promote equality for all individuals and allow for greater representation of all social groups in positions of power. Making the leadership advancement field more equitable would widen the pool of qualified individuals from which to select leaders, keeping the most promising candidates from being overlooked due to implicit biases. Additionally, a lack of diversity among organizational leaders can be a detriment; in extreme cases, similarly minded groups members who feel pressured to conform their opinions can engage in groupthink, wherein poor decisions are made due to a lack of dissent and discussion within the group (such as in the case of JFK’s advisory board and the Bay of Pigs invasion). In contrast, establishing diversity in leadership positions promotes more ethical, financially successful, innovative, and productive organizations. In sum, women’s restriction from top leadership positions is a detriment to all individuals as well as organizations. On a societal level, many argue that women will only approach parity to men in elite leadership positions when domestic duties between men and women become more equally distributed. That is, the leadership gender gap will only be closed when the domestic gap closes.