Reference no: EM133726902

Problem

Define glass ceiling. Describe the paradox that women political candidates face. Text: One concept for describing the situation facing women's access to leadership positions is the glass ceiling. Whereas most of the explicit barriers to women's achievement have been removed through legislative action, norms of gender equality, and affirmative action policies, women often get stuck at the level of middle management. There is a glass ceiling or invisible barrier that prevents them from achieving positions of leadership. Early in their careers men's and women's incomes are more or less equal but at mid-career, the gap increases significantly. Barrier exists in part because of the different work styles of men and women, in particular conversational-style differences. Whereas men are very aggressive in their conversational style and their self-promotion, women are typically consensus builders who seek to avoid appearing bossy and arrogant. As a linguistic strategy of office politics, it is common for men to say "I" and claim personal credit in situations where women would be more likely to use "we" and emphasize teamwork. As it is men who are often in the positions to make promotion decisions, they interpret women's style of communication "as showing indecisiveness, inability to assume authority, and even incompetence" Because of the inherent qualities in women's expressive leadership, which in many cases is more effective, their skills, merits, and achievements go unrecognized.