4 Main Ways Power Dynamics Impact Women's Influence In The C-Suite

Introduction

I remember a scenario a client shared with me about being in a meeting with her CEO and a few members of the executive team. They were addressing an internal issue that had caused delays for their customers. My client mentioned what could be done to fix the problem, but she was interrupted by a male colleague who told her that he thought her solution was "too aggressive." Because of the colleague's interruption and my client's role at the company, she felt like she couldn't push back. In fact, she described feeling nervous about speaking up again for fear of sounding "too angry" or, "emotional". That experience is just one example of how power dynamics can impact women's ability to be heard at work.

Today's article is going to address multiple perspectives on power dynamics so that you can raise your awareness and approach how to identify and address them in the workplace.

Microaggressions can be subtle, often unacknowledged, or unintentional insults that communicate negative and hostile messages to marginalized populations.

• The terms “microaggression” and “microinvalidation” were coined by psychiatrist Chester Pierce in 1970, but the concept has been around for centuries—even millennia.
• In an organizational context, here are some examples of scenarios that can transpire:
• Subtle comments made during a meeting with your boss that create an overall feeling of exclusion.
• Or, well-intentioned questions about your family or children when you don't have any yet; they may even come as a request for feedback on how to improve the company's parental leave policy (without consideration for why someone might not have children).
• These types of interactions happen all the time—but they're also not always intentional. And while many people are quick to classify microaggressions as thoughtless or careless behavior, there's more nuance than that: sometimes they're intended to hurt but other times they just happen because no one thinks through their words before speaking them out loud.

Gaslighting is when someone lies to you or intentionally misleads you in order to make you question your own feeling, instincts, and reality.

Gaslighting is a power dynamic that is used by people in positions of authority to control the way other people think, feel and behave.

When someone gaslights you, it's important to recognize the situation for what it is: an attempt at power dynamics. If your boss or colleague has accused you of acting in ways that are out of character or too emotional (or tried to convince you that you're exaggerating), then they may be trying to undermine your credibility and ability to assert yourself.

If this happens repeatedly over time, it can diminish your self-esteem until eventually, the person who does this has managed to convince you that their version of reality is true—even though it isn't!

I had a client whom this experience happened to, she had been demoted from a CFO position during a reorganization of her organization to another senior level role under the new CEO. She received feedback that the reason that she was demoted was that she was a "weak" leader that didn't assert herself. When she queried for specific examples, she wasn't given anything specific. However, she had been previously credited as a "strong" leader by the previous CEO. The environment continued to worsen, she stuck it out for a year before leaving, but at the end of her employment, she found out that the entire administrative team was replaced with his own team [from where had previously worked], including the new CFO. This "leveling," as publicly boasted by the new CEO was what he was known best for, and was his way of quickly gaining the buy-in of his leadership team and stakeholders for his new initiatives.

1. Dealing with pushback. Or, when someone dismisses your ideas in a meeting as "too aggressive" or asks why you're so angry.

Here are some examples of how to handle being dismissed in a meeting:

You can always ask for feedback. I say feedback is freeing. Ask them to clarify what they mean by that statement. Think about what could have contributed to this perception:

• Did they not like the tone of the question or statement?
• Was it a point of contention with another team member?
• Did they think your idea was good but it needed more research and development or cost analysis before they could support it?

If someone asks why you're so angry, try asking them if there's anything specifically that's made them think this. Actually, take the time to clarify what if any emotion exists and why, if necessary.

Also, take this into consideration:

• Are you speaking too loudly or too fast?
• Perhaps someone else is being rude and interrupting conversations, thereby making everyone appear angry.
• Or maybe your boss has been giving short feedback on projects lately, which may have affected how people perceive your work as needing improvement.

To address a dismissive comment about an idea or suggestion, try asking the speaker what their thoughts were on what was said earlier in the conversation (and then listen carefully). Maybe there was something not heard properly—or perhaps there were broader concerns around how those ideas would impact other teams working on similar initiatives at this company; sometimes we give only partial information during meetings because we’re focused on one thing at a time rather than looking at all sides as well.

2. Feeling invisible. Or, when male colleagues interrupt you in meetings to talk over you and act like what you said didn't matter.

Don’t be afraid to interrupt back. When a male colleague interrupts you, try saying “Hold on, I wasn’t finished” and then continue with what you were saying. This will demonstrate several things:

• That you can be assertive without being aggressive to command a room.
• That your contributions should be valued and that you deserve respect.
• That you can have conflict, manage your emotions, and be open to feedback when intentionally or otherwise publicly dismissed, disagreed with, or overlooked. This will also give him the chance to apologize if his interruption was accidental rather than meant to shut you down (which often is the case).

Speak up in meetings when it feels like someone else is dominating the conversation without letting others have their say. Ask questions if something doesn’t make sense, or clarify a point if someone isn't being clear enough in their presentation of information. This can help keep everyone engaged during meetings and reduce feelings of frustration for everyone involved — including yourself!

Ask for what YOU want from your team members and colleagues by asking questions such as: "Can I ask how this project is going?" "May I give any input about this assignment?" "I'd love some feedback on how well I've done so far!" These kinds of questions show people that there's an interest in hearing from them — not just telling them what needs done next!

3. When your ideas are ignored until a male says them.

When your ideas are ignored until a man says them. Or when you're interrupted while speaking at work. Or when you're given feedback that isn't specific or is phrased in such a way that makes it clear that the speaker doesn't respect you.

I had a client whom this experience happened to on a frequent basis in management meetings. As a result, she became less motivated to share during meetings because she felt like no one cared about what she had to offer. Nearly two-thirds of women in tech say their ideas are ignored until a man repeats them, study shows. Another study showed that 62 percent of women say that their ideas are ignored — until they say something that's repeated by men. Some more recent terms to describe this behavior we have seen used in social media call this phenomena "mansplaining" or, "hepeating."

These examples may sound like run-of-the-mill workplace conflict, but they can be even more damaging when they happen to female leaders—especially if those leaders are in positions of relative power (for example, if they're on the board). These microaggressions can affect how much influence women have over company decisions and their own careers, as well as their willingness to speak up in meetings or advocate for themselves at work. But there are several ways C-suite women can navigate these kinds of power dynamics—and ultimately strengthen their position within the organization and take on an even bigger leadership role down the road.

4. When women are described as too "emotional" because they speak up for themselves.

In many work environments all over the world, women are expected to be agreeable and passive. When they assert their point of view or voice a complaint, they're told that they have "anger issues," "bad attitudes" or are "emotional." or, "intimidating." This is gaslighting—a form of manipulation that makes someone question their own reality by defying logic (e.g., saying something like: "I didn't say that.").

In contrast, we have long dealt with male expressions of volatility or raised voices being described as "opinionated," "passionate," or "intense." In reality, when some males express anger in positions of power everyone nods in agreement and moves on with their lives. But when a woman does the exact same thing and expresses herself passionately or assertively at work, she's seen as unprofessional or difficult to work with—and sometimes even reprimanded for it. Messages like "You are too emotional" can devalue women's authority, integrity, and promotability in the workplace.

These power dynamics and career derailers can be far-reaching...

When it comes to dealing with workplace politics and power dynamics, there is no one-size-fits-all approach. Microaggressions, gaslighting and other power dynamics can have a negative impact on women in the workplace. However, there are ways to begin to counteract them.

• Don't fear your own emotionality: Women are often taught from a young age to be "nice" and not make waves. But it's ok to show emotion at work—even if you're crying about something. It's also important for people in positions of power (and those aspiring for such roles) not to call out female coworkers' emotions as something negative or undesirable; rather, they should help foster an environment where these expressions are seen positively.
• Know what you're worth: If you don't feel like someone is taking your ideas or contributions seriously at work because of their gender bias against you, consider asking them directly why they think this way. You may find that their reasons aren't connected with sexism at all; but if they are, speak up! This could help create more opportunities for yourself within the company by making others aware of your value as an employee and leader who brings something new and valuable every day into the office environment.

Conclusion

For women in the C-suite, these challenges and power dynamics are particularly tough because they can impact your influence and success. Empowering yourself and fighting back against some of these systems isn’t easy, but it is possible. By recognizing the factors that may be working against you and making small changes to how you navigate them, you can send a powerful message about who you are as a leader and ensure that your voice continues to be heard.

If you’re looking for strategic collaboration and support on how to navigate your company culture, power dynamics or, help with navigating office politics. Book a call https://bit.ly/drsanchez-application-consult