Copyright forbes
Women need more work experience before they are comfortable applying for a promotion, according to new research. Women’s representation at the top of business and politics remains stubbornly low. Now, new research may help explain why. Fewer than one in ten S&P 500 companies are led by a female CEO, and only 26% of the U.S. Senate seats are held by women. Sixteen states have never elected a woman to the Senate, 18 have never had a female governor, and a woman has never been president. A new set of studies suggests one explanation for this gender gap at the top is that women wait until they have more experience before putting themselves forward for higher leadership positions. The new research, published in the journal Psychological Science, analyzed nearly a century of U.S. political data to figure out the conditions under which women were less likely to run for office than their male counterparts. In particular, the researchers studied the political careers of more than 6,400 politicians who served in the roles of U.S. House members, lieutenant governors, state attorneys general and state secretaries of state. Although these roles are typically launching pads for governorships and U.S. Senate seats, the researchers found that men who had been in these feeder roles only a few years were more likely than their female counterparts to run for the higher offices. Gender Gap in Ambition Disappears As Women Gain Experience But as women’s experience grew, the gender gap narrowed, and eventually the gap completely disappeared. When the women had served between eight and nine years in office, they were just as likely as their male counterparts to run for governor or the U.S. Senate. The researchers ruled out the possibility that the women were just waiting until after raising children, and changing public attitudes over time didn’t impact their results either—the women just wanted more experience before they took on the next role. To determine why women waited longer to seek higher office, the researchers conducted a second study. Over 400 participants, all employed full time, were asked to imagine they worked at a consulting firm that was creating a new department head position. They were provided with their work credentials and told they had already been on the job for either three years or twelve years. With only three years under their belt, women were less likely than men to say they would apply for the department head job. But when participants believed they had twelve years of experience, the gender gap vanished, and women were just as likely as men to apply for the job. When they asked participants why they did or did not apply, they found that women did not apply early in their careers because they didn’t have the confidence in their own ability to succeed. Although lack of experience also reduced men’s confidence, the researchers found that it did not deter them from applying for the job. Mabel Abraham, an author of the paper and a business professor at Columbia University, explains, “Men often recognize they’re not fully prepared, but they pursue the opportunity anyway.” Although she says it’s tempting to say that women should just go for it, regardless of their readiness, that’s likely not the best solution. “It’s not ideal for anyone to pursue a role when they’re genuinely unprepared. Our findings suggest that men sometimes move forward despite low confidence, which can also be risky. So rather than encouraging overreach, organizations should focus on helping everyone develop a clear and accurate sense of readiness,” she explained via email. MORE FOR YOU What Women And Their Employers Can Do To Close This Gap For women who are climbing the corporate ladder or seeking higher government offices, awareness of this gender gap in ambition is key. “One of the most powerful takeaways from this research is simply knowing that this pattern exists. Awareness alone can be powerful,” Abraham says. Indeed, other researchers have also found that once women become aware of the gender gap in applying for executive positions, they become more likely to apply themselves. She also advises that women turn this awareness into action by asking mentors or trusted colleagues for honest feedback, rather than assuming a new role is out of reach. Other researchers have also found that colleagues can be key in encouraging women to seek higher roles. For example, a study by the Korn Ferry Institute revealed that two-thirds of female CEOs did not realize they could lead a company until a boss or mentor encouraged them to do so. Abraham also recommends that women accumulate as much experience as possible, and, she adds, “Just as important, track those wins as you go.” She explains, “Keeping your own record of progress helps ensure that your achievements are visible to others and to yourself.” For organizations, Abraham urges leaders to consider all qualified employees for open roles, allowing them to opt out if they wish. She also recommends that companies “design lower-stakes, high-learning opportunities that build the same experience muscle and confidence over time.” For example, short-term or project-based leadership roles can give employees managerial or decision-making experience without requiring them to formally apply for a new role. These studies point to a simple solution to help shrink the gender gap at the top of companies and politics. Experience builds confidence, and confidence fuels ambition. If we find a way for women to gain both, more will rise to the top. 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