HSG study shows: even progressive managers hinder gender equality

Why is progress towards gender equality in leadership positions so slow, despite the numerous programmes run by many companies? HSG researchers Julia Nentwich and Chris Steyaert – both organisational psychologists – have investigated this question. The result: open resistance to equality is not the biggest obstacle. Rather, even committed male leaders tend to perpetuate the status quo. And they often do so without even realising it. “This finding came as a surprise to us too,” says Chris Steyaert.

For their study, recently published in the international journal *Human Relations*, the two HSG researchers conducted ten group discussions with a total of 72 male executives from five Swiss companies. The firms operate in traditionally male-dominated sectors such as manufacturing, transport, retail and insurance. Between 15 and 25 per cent of the senior management in these companies are women. The male executives selected for the discussions were regarded within their companies as strong advocates of gender equality.

It was precisely for this reason that one finding stood out in particular: not a single participant maintained a consistently supportive stance on gender equality throughout the discussions. All the executives changed their stance in the course of the discussions.

Executives change their stance – this blocks change

The researchers identified four typical positions adopted by the managers during the discussions. They view equality as a tiresome constraint on existing practices and structures. At other times, they argue in a deliberately supportive manner towards women and see their role as promoting them more strongly. Furthermore, they emphasise the importance of equality, whilst at the same time explaining why this is not necessary within their own company and why, as managers, they have little influence over change. Only in the fourth position do the men challenge traditional notions of leadership and masculinity and clearly call for more active engagement from themselves and their male colleagues.

Crucially, the managers never remain permanently in any one of these positions. Throughout the conversations, they repeatedly switch from one to another.

Nentwich and Steyaert describe this dynamic as ‘discursive manoeuvring’ – a constant linguistic manoeuvring between different positions regarding equality and masculinity. This manoeuvring enables the men, on the one hand, to espouse modern attitudes, whilst at the same time not discarding patterns of argument that ultimately confirm and preserve the status quo – and, not least, their position as men within the company. According to the HSG researchers, it is precisely this back-and-forth that explains why change often progresses at the speed of a glacier. Julia Nentwich and Chris Steyaert also point to the strong influence of traditional gender roles in Switzerland, as well as to the structure of the school and childcare system, which tends to lead women to work part-time in order to look after children and the household.

Existing power structures not called into question

The role of the group was also striking. Whilst the discussions repeatedly opened up space for criticism of traditional leadership models, at the same time the group dynamics regularly caused the discussion to revert to familiar patterns of argument that preserved the status quo.

For instance, gender differences were frequently portrayed as natural givens, or the low number of women in leadership positions was attributed to societal conditions outside the company. Other statements, whilst emphasising specific, exceptional abilities of women, simultaneously described them as individuals who required support from men. According to Nentwich and Steyaert, both of these factors mean that existing power relations are challenged on a case-by-case basis, but not consistently.

It is noteworthy that open rejection of equality played no part in the discussions. Problematic statements, such as those containing sexist content, were instead phrased ironically or qualified with caveats. Such manoeuvring makes it possible to uphold traditional notions of masculinity without having to take an open and explicit stand against equality.

A male group with significant influence

The study also highlights the particular significance of homogeneous management teams. In male-dominated leadership bodies, strong social expectations arise regarding how men should express themselves and behave. According to the research, anyone who openly challenges traditional role models risks weakening their position within the group. As a result, even managers with progressive views find it difficult to consistently advocate alternative concepts of leadership or masculinity.

Nentwich and Steyaert see this as an explanation for why changing individual attitudes alone – for example, through leadership or allyship training – is not enough. The corporate and team culture in which leaders operate is crucial. Only when group dynamics also change can equality be accelerated in a sustainable manner. Furthermore, according to Julia Nentwich: “A better understanding of why change is progressing so slowly and why men in positions of power often hinder rather than support this change is the key to accelerating the pace.”

The study is a research finding from ‘Leaders for Equality’. The project, founded by HSG researchers Julia Nentwich and Gabriele Schambach, conducts research and provides consultancy on the topics of men, leadership and equality. Their book "Führungsaufgabe Chancengleichheit" , the first handbook for managers, has recently been published by Haufe-Verlag. In their recently published book "On Practising Diversity", Chris Steyaert and his co-author Maddy Janssens explore the question of how diversity can move beyond individual efforts to become a collective, organisational task.