Women's Leadership, Communication, and the Power of Gratitude: A Comprehensive Approach to the Modern Workplace

Prologue

Throughout my career in corporate America and Canada, I have encountered several organizational challenges that have impacted my workplace experience. On numerous occasions, despite being hired for my specific skills and knowledge, I faced situations where my input was disregarded due to my "new" status or "lack of seniority." I was excluded from crucial meetings, talked down to, and not informed about the outcomes. Furthermore, I faced mixed expectations - being told to be more independent, but then reprimanded for not seeking help. My requests to join projects where my expertise could be utilized were denied (my male collogues, often junior to my experience, were to be handed these opportunities), and I was instructed to focus on strategies handed down by the leadership team, which often proved ineffective due to their lack of understanding of my role.

This article I wrote highlights five recently published papers on organizational psychology, women in leadership, and the psychological impacts of culture and gratitude. Each study sheds light on the complexities faced by professionals like myself and offers valuable insights into improving workplace dynamics. I have included the references at the end of the article and encourage you to explore these insightful works further.

Please be aware that I do not possess a formal degree in Human Resources or Organizational Psychology. However, my perspective is informed by my personal experience as a woman navigating various work environments.

TLDR:

• Focus on women's leadership during crises for effective management

• Address benevolent sexism to ensure women's autonomy and respect

• Combat gender-biased communication to avoid marginalization of women

• Cultivate authentic gratitude to reduce workplace toxicity

• Engage ALL employees through involvement and commitment

• Implement strategies for an inclusive, supportive work environment

Introduction

In today's rapidly evolving work environment, the roles of women in leadership and their experiences navigating the corporate world have become increasingly significant. A growing body of research has explored various aspects of organizational leadership, benevolent sexism, communication behaviors, and psychological capital to gain a deeper understanding of the unique challenges women face in the workplace. The insights gleaned from these studies are essential for cultivating a more inclusive, productive, and supportive work environment for all employees.

Women's Leadership During Crises: Adapting to Unprecedented Challenges

The COVID-19 pandemic presented unparalleled obstacles for leaders worldwide. Wilkinson and Male (2023) conducted a study examining the leadership approaches of senior women leaders in the UK Higher Education sector during this critical period. The research revealed that these women not only maintained their core leadership values but also adapted their styles to the unique circumstances of the pandemic. The leaders reported a shift toward more situational, distributed leadership, which involved delegating authority and empowering others to make decisions.

Many of the women attributed these changes to gendered differences in leadership approaches, emphasizing the importance of empathy, collaboration, and communication during crisis situations. The study also underscored the value of peer-to-peer networks in providing support and guidance for women leaders during challenging times. These findings can inform organizations seeking to develop more effective crisis management strategies and empower women leaders in the process.

Tackling Benevolent Sexism in the Workplace: Assessing and Addressing Attitudes and Behaviors

Benevolent sexism, characterized by paternalistic and condescending attitudes toward women (ie “mansplaining”) is a pervasive issue with negative consequences for those affected. Warren et al. (2023) developed and validated the Benevolent Sexism in the Workplace (BSW) scale to more accurately understand and measure this phenomenon. The BSW scale assesses attitudes and behaviors that undermine women's autonomy, competence, and professional identity.

Besides the widespread problem of benevolent sexism at work, a study by Jones et al. (2014) shows that it negatively affects self-confidence and job performance. The research revealed that when people experienced benevolent sexism, their confidence in mixed-gender situations decreased. Self-confidence was also found to be a factor linking benevolent sexism and job performance. Interestingly, benevolent sexism had an impact on performance even more than rude behavior, highlighting the harmful outcomes of such attitudes toward women at work. Tackling benevolent sexism is essential for creating a respectful and inclusive atmosphere, as well as boosting self-confidence and performance for all employees.

By employing the BSW scale, organizations can pinpoint instances of benevolent sexism and address them through targeted interventions, such as training programs designed to raise awareness, foster empathy, and promote inclusive behaviors. Tackling benevolent sexism is vital for cultivating a work environment in which women feel valued and respected, enabling them to realize their full potential.

Gender-Biased Communication and Its Impact on Women: Overcoming Exclusion and Marginalization

Communication behaviors like condescending explanations (i.e., mansplaining), voice nonrecognition, and interruptions can be perceived as gender-biased by recipients. Briggs et al. (2023) found that women reacted more negatively and were more likely to view these behaviors as indicative of gender bias when the communicator was a man. Such communication biases can result in feelings of exclusion and marginalization, adversely affecting women's job satisfaction and career progression.

To address these communication biases, organizations can provide training and education to employees, cultivate an inclusive culture that values diverse perspectives, and implement policies that promote equitable communication. Enhancing workplace interactions will contribute to a more inclusive and supportive work environment for all.

The Power of Gratitude in Combating Workplace Toxicity: Enhancing Well-Being and Resilience

Workplace toxicity, encompassing bullying and incivility, can negatively impact employees' psychological capital, leading to detrimental effects on overall well-being and performance. Mahipalan and Garg (2023) discovered that gratitude could play a crucial role in mitigating the impact of toxic behaviors at work. Gratitude, defined as the appreciation for the positive aspects of one's life, can bolster well-being, resilience, and overall job satisfaction.

By nurturing a gratitude-based organization, companies can diminish the negative effects of workplace bullying and uncivil behavior. This can be achieved through employee recognition programs gratitude exercises, and initiatives that encourage appreciation and positivity. Cultivating a culture of gratitude can lead to higher levels of employee engagement, job satisfaction, and overall well-being.

While Mahipalan and Garg (2023) highlight the importance of gratitude in mitigating the impact of workplace toxicity, it is crucial to emphasize that the gratitude expressed within an organization must be authentic in order to be truly effective. Authentic gratitude refers to genuine appreciation and acknowledgment of the positive aspects of one's life and the contributions of others. In the context of the workplace, authentic gratitude means that appreciation and recognition are sincerely expressed and not merely used as superficial tools to manipulate employee morale.

Authenticity and transparency in all actions is critical in the success of these strategies

To cultivate authentic gratitude in the workplace, organizations should focus on creating a culture where genuine appreciation is valued and practiced by all employees, including leaders and managers. This can be achieved by:

1. Encouraging open and honest communication among employees, fostering an environment where individuals feel comfortable expressing gratitude for their colleagues' contributions and support.

2. Implementing meaningful employee recognition programs that acknowledge and reward the hard work, achievements, and unique contributions of employees, ensuring that recognition is specific, timely, and relevant.

3. Encouraging leaders and managers to model authentic gratitude by regularly expressing appreciation for their team members' efforts and accomplishments, and by actively soliciting feedback and acknowledging the input of others.

4. Providing training and resources to help employees understand the importance of authentic gratitude and learn how to express it effectively, such as workshops on active listening, empathy, and emotional intelligence.

Engaging Entitled Employees Through Employee Involvement Climate: Fostering Inclusivity and Commitment

Psychologically entitled employees can be challenging to manage, as they often exhibit lower levels of organizational citizenship behaviors, which are essential for a positive work environment. Schwarz et al. (2021) discovered that an employee involvement climate and affective organizational commitment can mitigate the negative impact of psychological entitlement on organizational citizenship behaviors. Employee involvement climate refers to a workplace culture that encourages participation, input, and decision-making from all employees. Affective organizational commitment is the emotional attachment an employee has to their organization.

Organizations can foster employee involvement by implementing practices that encourage open communication, collaboration, and shared decision-making. This includes involving employees in problem-solving, creating cross-functional teams, and providing opportunities for professional development. To enhance affective organizational commitment, organizations can focus on building strong relationships among team members, recognizing and rewarding employee achievements, and offering a clear vision and mission that aligns with employee values.

By addressing the challenges of psychologically entitled employees and promoting a culture of involvement and commitment, organizations can create a more supportive, inclusive, and productive work environment for all.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the contemporary work environment necessitates a holistic approach to leadership, communication, and employee engagement. By scrutinizing the distinct obstacles women encounter in the workplace and integrating insights gleaned from recent research, organizations can establish an inclusive, nurturing, and efficient environment that advantages all employees. By cultivating women's leadership in crisis situations, combating benevolent sexism, tackling gender-biased communication, harnessing the power of authentic gratitude, and involving entitled employees, organizations can lay the foundation for a more promising and inclusive future, however, authenticity and transparency in all actions is critical in the success of these strategies. These concepts and strategies are not exclusive to large corporations but can be successfully employed in companies of any size.

References

1. Briggs, C.Q., Gardner, D.M. & Ryan, A.M. (2023). Competence-Questioning Communication and Gender: Exploring Mansplaining, Ignoring, and Interruption Behaviors. J Bus Psychol. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10869-022-09871-7

2. Jones, K., Stewart, K., King, E., Botsford Morgan, W., Gilrane, V., & Hylton, K. (2014). Negative consequence of benevolent sexism on efficacy and performance. Gender in Management: An International Journal, 29(3), 171-189

3. Mahipalan, M., & Garg, N. (2023). Does workplace toxicity undermine psychological capital (PsyCap) of the employees? Exploring the moderating role of gratitude. International Journal of Organizational Analysis. ISSN: 1934-8835. Article publication date: 28 April 2023.

4. Schwarz, G., Newman, A., Yu, J., & Michaels, V. (2021). Psychological entitlement and organizational citizenship behaviors: the roles of employee involvement climate and affective organizational commitment. Pages 197-222. Received 22 Aug 2018, Accepted 20 Jul 2021, Published online: 14 Sep 2021.

5. Warren, C., Wax, A., Brush, O.T., Magalona, J., & Galvez, G. (2023). Development and validation of the Benevolent Sexism in the Workplace scale. Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology. https://doi.org/10.1111/joop.12435

6. Wilkinson, J., & Male, T. (2023). Perceptions of women senior leaders in the UK Higher Education during the COVID-19 pandemic. Educational Management Administration & Leadership, https://doi.org/10.1177/17411432221150079