Gender Bias In Decision Making

I’ve been labeled many times at work. Too quiet when I stayed calm. Too aggressive when I spoke clearly. Too emotional when I called out disrespect. Working with senior women leaders showed me this wasn’t personal. It is a pattern. The same behavior is judged differently depending on who shows it. When women speak with confidence, they’re often called “emotional.” When men do the same, they’re seen as “passionate.” That difference has real effects. Research shared by Harvard Business Review shows that in performance reviews: → 78% of women are described as “too emotional.” → Only 11% of men are labeled the same way. One helps people grow. The other creates doubt. This is not about women changing how they lead. It’s about how leadership is judged. A calm woman is not disengaged. A direct woman is not aggressive. A woman who speaks up is not difficult. She is leading. To leaders: → Pause before labeling behavior. → Ask if you’d use the exact words for a man. To colleagues: → Speak up when you see double standards. → Silence keeps bias in place. To women leaders: → Your voice is not too much. → Your presence is not the problem. Keep speaking. Keep leading. Keep showing up as you are. Workplaces don’t need quieter women. They need fairer standards. Get weekly practical frameworks on how to build an impactful career here: https://lnkd.in/evuiYzex ♻️ Repost for better workplaces. 🔔 Follow Fatou Seck Mathon for leadership and career growth insights

"Wow, you know your numbers!" "You don’t look like a tech founder!" At some point, I stopped saying “thank you” and started asking, Why is this surprising? Because these aren’t compliments. They’re low expectations wrapped in politeness. As a woman in tech, you learn to spot it early. The way people are impressed when you’re prepared. The surprise when you have clear opinions.The disbelief when you talk systems, not just vision. It’s not flattery. It’s bias disguised as encouragement. I don’t want to be the exception. I want the baseline to shift. So the next time you find yourself impressed that a woman is confident, sharp, and knows what she’s doing — Ask yourself why that still surprises you.

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝗶𝗹𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗻: 𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗪𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻 𝗔𝗿𝗲 𝗠𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗕𝘂𝗿𝗻𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗗𝗲𝘀𝗽𝗶𝘁𝗲 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗿 𝗠𝘂𝗹𝘁𝗶𝘁𝗮𝘀𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗕𝗿𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 As someone passionate about #mentoring women, I’ve observed a recurring #pattern among many: their incredible ability to juggle multiple responsibilities seamlessly, yet silently bearing the brunt of #burnout, fatigue, and exhaustion far more than their male counterparts. The image here tells a story familiar to many women. On the left, a woman is preparing food, keeping an eye on her child, and working on something for her career, with a smile. On the right, a man is focused, fully immersed in his task or has the privilege of a mobile distraction. While these roles may not always hold true for every family, they highlight a 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗮𝗹𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗱: 𝘄𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗱𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗮 𝗱𝗼𝘂𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗳𝘁, yet glorify her better half as supportive towards her career aspirations. This “#doubleshift” refers to professional obligations during the day and domestic responsibilities after work hours. Women often shoulder the majority of caregiving, household chores, and emotional labor, even when they are equally employed outside the home. 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗿𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗹𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗺𝘂𝗹𝘁𝗶𝘁𝗮𝘀𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝘃𝗲𝘀 𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘁𝗹𝗲 𝗿𝗼𝗼𝗺 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗼𝗿 𝘀𝗲𝗹𝗳-𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗲, 𝗺𝗮𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘄𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝘀𝘂𝘀𝗰𝗲𝗽𝘁𝗶𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗯𝘂𝗿𝗻𝗼𝘂𝘁. Men, on the other hand, often have the privilege of compartmentalizing their tasks. Their focus remains singular, allowing them to recharge more effectively. 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗶𝘀𝗻’𝘁 𝗮 𝗰𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗾𝘂𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗺𝗲𝗻 𝗯𝘂𝘁 𝗮 𝗿𝗲𝗳𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝗶𝗻𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗱 𝘀𝗼𝗰𝗶𝗲𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝗻𝗼𝗿𝗺𝘀 that disproportionately place invisible burdens on women. As a mentor, I emphasize the importance of prioritizing boundaries. #Women need to give themselves permission to say “no” and seek support (something that women particularly #alphawomen struggle with). Conversations around equitable distribution of household duties must become more normalized. Organizations, too, must recognize the unique challenges women face and implement policies that foster true #worklifebalance. The weight gets heavier for #womenentrepreneurs who witness a constant war between guilt and aspirations, with minimal support. So, Dear multitasking women: 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗹𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗶𝘀 𝗮𝘄𝗲-𝗶𝗻𝘀𝗽𝗶𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴, 𝗯𝘂𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘄𝗲𝗹𝗹-𝗯𝗲𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗺𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝗻 𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝗯𝗼𝘅. Let’s advocate for a #culture that values not just productivity, but rest, reflection, and #respect for all. *𝘪𝘮𝘢𝘨𝘦 𝘤𝘳𝘦𝘥𝘪𝘵: 𝘎𝘰𝘰𝘨𝘭𝘦 𝘪𝘮𝘢𝘨𝘦𝘴

Stop telling women founders to “balance it all.” Balance is not the goal. Building resilient, future-proof systems is. I don’t want women to be applauded for multitasking anymore. That applause keeps us trapped in the “superwoman” narrative instead of being seen as super leaders. I didn’t have the privilege of “balancing” when I was starting out. - I had bills to pay. - Customers to win. - Investors to convince. Every time a woman builds a company, she’s asked the same tired questions: - “Who looks after the kids when you’re traveling?” - “How do you balance work and home?” - “Isn’t it too risky to go all-in?” But the truth is: Women can’t be everywhere. And we don’t have to be. We’re not building businesses that need rescuing. We’re building models of success that run on systems, not sacrifices. At Rubans Accessories, I never aimed to “do it all.” I aimed to design structures that outlast me: - Teams that lead without waiting for instructions. - Decisions that don’t crumble under pressure. - Processes that scale without chaos. That’s leadership > Balance. So let’s stop applauding the act of juggling it all. And instead, start recognizing the power of building systems that don’t collapse when one person steps away. What do you think? Let's talk in the comments.

When women lead, they are seen as “bossy.” When men lead, they are “decisive.” Success nugget...I have seen this happen too many times in meetings, projects, and boardrooms. A woman takes charge and voices her opinion, and suddenly the room feels tense. People say she is “too direct,” “too emotional,” or “hard to work with.” Then a man comes in, says the exact same thing, and somehow it sounds like leadership. He is confident. Visionary. Commanding. The double standard is subtle, but it runs deep. Women are expected to be assertive but not too assertive. Strong but not intimidating. Ambitious but still likable. It becomes a constant balancing act, one that drains energy and confidence. Many women start questioning themselves: “Did I come off too strong?” “Should I have softened my tone?” “Maybe I should have waited for someone else to say it.” And that is where the problem lies. When leadership is filtered through gendered expectations, women are forced to play smaller, not because they lack ability, but because they are tired of being misjudged for showing it. We cannot keep telling women to “lean in” if the moment they do, they are labeled as “difficult.” Real change begins when workplaces learn to recognize bias disguised as feedback. Leadership is about making an impact, driving vision, and standing firm in your values; qualities that have no gender. It is time we stop confusing confidence with aggression just because it comes from a woman. P.S. Do you believe workplaces are truly ready to unlearn this, or are we still rewarding the same old leadership stereotypes? #WomenInLeadership #GenderBias #LeadershipMindset #WorkplaceCulture #WomenEmpowerment

Men are assumed to be competent until proven otherwise. Women have to prove competence over and over. Women are constantly told they need to be more confident. Speak up more. Sit at the table. Be bolder. But confidence isn’t the problem. Perception is. Studies show that when women are assertive, they’re seen as “too aggressive.” When they’re careful, they’re seen as “not leader material.” The issue isn’t that women need to change how they show up. It’s that the rules keep shifting to make them doubt themselves. Instead of telling women to be more confident, we should be asking: 💡 Why do we question women’s authority in the first place? You don’t need to perform confidently. You need a workplace that values your expertise as it is.

Throughout my career, I’ve seen the same pattern. When women are called “too aggressive,” the solution is always the same: Fix the woman. Tone it down. Tweak your messaging. Smile more. But there was never anything to fix. The system was built with bias baked in. We still expect women to walk a tightrope: strong, but not too strong. Decisive, but not unlikeable. Collaborative, but not soft. And when the balance tips? The feedback goes to her, not to the culture that labeled her. I’ve sat at leadership tables where a woman was called “aggressive” for showing the same conviction as her male peers. The room went quiet. And in that silence, the label stuck. That’s when leadership is tested. Do you let the bias slide? Or do you step in and say: “We don’t use that language here. Let’s focus on the substance, not stereotypes.” Because silence is agreement. And bias unchecked becomes culture. And it’s even more damaging when women reinforce those same labels against each other. That’s what happens when a system built on scarcity convinces us to protect our seat instead of pulling up another chair. Strong women aren’t the problem. The problem is a system shaped by cultural norms that were never designed to support women leading on their own terms. Leadership isn’t just who you promote. It’s what you permit. 💌 To subscribe to my newsletter, use the link below: https://lnkd.in/ghi3uSUj

Why Are High-Achieving Women Judged More Harshly? 🤔 If you're a young working woman in India, this might feel all too familiar. You work hard, excel in your role, and yet—somehow—the feedback you receive feels harsher, more personal, or just unfair. Research shows that 76% of high-performing women receive negative feedback, compared to just 2% of high-achieving men. Sounds familiar? 🔹 “You need to be more ‘adjusting’ with colleagues.” 🔹 “You’re too ambitious; slow down.” 🔹 “Your tone can seem aggressive.” 🔹 “You should smile more.” Meanwhile, a male colleague displaying the same confidence is seen as assertive and leadership material. This bias often unconscious—is deeply ingrained in many Indian workplaces. Women are expected to balance being strong but not "too strong," confident but not "too confident." It’s exhausting!! So how do we change this? #Call out bias – If you see unfair criticism, question it. #Support other women– Advocate for colleagues who face this treatment. #Redefine leadership– Strength, ambition, and confidence are not “masculine” traits; they are human traits. To every woman reading this: Keep going. Keep owning your success. And never shrink yourself to fit outdated expectations. 🌻🌻 Have you faced this? How did you handle it? #WomenAtWork #BiasInFeedback #GenderEquality #WomenInLeadership #WorkingWomenIndia

"She's been in Forbes, does she think she's too important to turn up now?"     This is an actual comment said to an employee of mine at an international women's day event, by a woman, to a woman, about a woman.   I couldn't attend an IWD networking event due to previous commitments and so decided to extend the invite to a team member, to network and absorb the incredible opportunity of celebrating international women's day, with a room full of my peers.   The irony of the comment vs the event and location was not lost on me and my team member was frankly, horrified.   But should we be surprised?   Research shows that women, must be liked to succeed at work.   The research also shows a negative correlation between success and likeability that correlates in the opposite direction to men.   As a woman, there is a statistical truth that the more successful you are, the more you will be disliked.   The person who made the comment..   "She's been in Forbes, does she think she's too important to turn up now?"   Literally cited a recent success.. and then closed off with a negative comment, connecting the first, to the second, probably without even realising what they'd done. (Because most misogyny is subconscious)   This, is the likeability paradox.   This negativity towards confidence in women leads many of us to use ‘softeners’ in person, in conversations and emails, adapting our language to appear apologetic or unsure when making a point.   If you’ve ever added the phrase “I just wanted to check” to the end of a statement, finished off a directive with “If that makes sense?” or written “I might be wrong” in an email when you know you’re not, you’ll recognise this pattern.   But what do we do?   Ultimately, until we dismantle the gender stereotypes instilled in all of us from childhood and begin to change the narrative when it comes to how different genders present, both men and women will always encounter bias and make subconscious assumptions.   The best way to combat the likeability paradox in the meantime is to recognise when it’s happening.. Both to you, and when you’re the culprit – and challenge it when you can, in yourself and in others.

The way women get attacked online for having confidence is…telling. If a woman says she knows she’s attractive, there will be men in the comments ready to “bring her down a peg.” If she talks about being great at her job, suddenly she’s “full of herself.” If she shares her accomplishments without minimizing them, she’s “bragging” or “attention-seeking.” The pattern is obvious: the minute a woman stops self-deprecating and shows unapologetic confidence, there’s a line of people waiting to tear her down. Here’s what I have to say to that: Confidence is not arrogance. Self-belief is not an invitation for critique. And women do not need to downplay themselves to be palatable. If a man can say “I’m great at what I do” and be celebrated, a woman should be able to do the same without being told to “humble herself.” So to the women reading this, don’t dim your light to make someone else comfortable. Your confidence is not the problem, their discomfort with it is.