THE DOUBLE-BIND TEST

The double-bind test queries whether a woman can be both leader and woman. Despite the recent rethinking of what it takes to be a leader, the image of the effective leader is still cut from masculine cloth. Although we no longer draw on "great man" theories of leadership, the qualities frequently used to describe leaders ”charismatic, strong, decisive , aggressive , authoritative ”suggest that he remains alive and well in the folk wisdom about leaders. Yet it can be risky for a woman leader to draw on these apparently normal leadership qualities. Behavior perfectly acceptable in a male leader can seem discordant in a woman ”overly harsh , too aggressive, uncaring. Indeed, a new industry has sprung up to reeducate women on how to shed their tough demeanor and cease being "bully broads." ^{[ 22]}

Research shows that women are consistently rated less effective as leaders when they adopt authoritative, take-charge stances, even though these traits are closely associated with good leaders. ^{[ 23]} And people notice and accentuate these non-feminine aspects of a woman's leadership style. Andrea Jung, Avon's chairman and chief executive officer, for example, is described as "exuding a kind of icy perfection with an auto-pilot smile." The London Times goes on to note that her lack of personal warmth has not harmed her career. ^{[ 24]} Hewlett-Packard chairman Sam Ginn advised Carly Fiorina to "warm up." A sizable contingent within the Hewlett-Packard community regarded Fiorina as an "imperial CEO, aloof and out of touch. [Ginn] recommended more brown-bag lunches with employees.... In a similar spirit, it was suggested that if she could just share her warmth with employees , everything would be all right." ^{[ 25]}

But what about the woman who does display her warmth? This is the other part of the double bind. If a woman conforms to the feminine side of the stereotype, she risks being dismissed as too soft or too feminine for the tough jobs. She can, in Rosabeth Moss Kanter's words, be seen "as only as a glorified office facilitator ... not as a tough-minded risk taker." ^{[ 26]}

The stories we have recounted from the popular press illustrate how easily gender stereotypes can be triggered when the words woman and leader are linked. The double-bind test is real. A woman leader has a narrow band within which to navigate. She must enact the "masculine" requirements of leadership but in an authentic way that draws on "feminine" abilities . ^{[ 27]}

^{[ 22]} Neela Banerjee, "Some Bullies Seek Ways to Soften Up; Toughness Has Risks for Women Executives"; Jean Hollands, Same Game, Different Rules: How to Get Ahead Without Being a Bully Broad, Ice Queen, or "Ms. Understood."

^{[ 23]} Rhode, "The Difference 'Difference' Makes." The discrepancy is especially apparent when men are doing the evaluating.

^{[ 24]} Jon Ashworth, "The Acceptable Face of a Cosmetics Makeover."

^{[ 25]} Anders, Perfect Enough , p. 166.

^{[ 26]} Quoted in Sharpe, "As Leaders, Women Rule."

^{[ 27]} Indeed, researchers have shown that this more androgynous approach ”combining elements of the masculine and feminine models ”answers best the demands placed on leaders today; see Alice H. Eagly and Linda Carli, "The Female Leadership Advantage." Eagly first explored the impact of gender on social roles in Sex Differences in Social Behavior: A Social-Role Interpretation . See also Alice H. Eagly and S. J. Karau, "Role Congruity Theory of Prejudice Toward Female Leaders"; Alice H. Eagly, M. G. Makhijani, and B. G. Klonsky, "Gender and the Evaluation of Leaders: A Meta-Analysis."