The psychological burden of being judged on the basis of stereotypes may lead to underperformance, which others then see as proof that, in fact, the stereotype has a valid basis. The result of all this is that the image of the stereotype becomes self-perpetuating.
Stereotypes connected to negotiating
Gender stereotypes are often reinforced by misinterpretation. One example is the belief that women are less able when it comes to negotiating higher salaries. However, women are also forced to comply with societal norms. So it is also a question of how society perceives women who are openly lobbying for their own financial interests.
According to the INSEAD business school, we can identify the following three types of negotiations:
- Asking negotiations are about standard resources: for example, a higher salary or access to development opportunities. The terms are being negotiated, but the final object of the negotiations is known beforehand.
- Bending negotiations involve negotiating individual exceptions to a given norm. One example might be an executive negotiating for a specially structured bonus for himself.
- Shaping negotiations are about arguing for organisational changes. Here, the underlying interests are the strategic needs of the organisation and the executive’s aspirations.
Women and stereotypes
Women frequently focus on negotiating for work flexibility, thus engaging in bending negotiations. In this way, they often manage to obtain customised work-family arrangements. Bending negotiations can also be used to gain a leadership position. One woman mentioned in the INSEAD article succeeded in negotiating a promotion despite not possessing all the required technical skills. She was, however, very confident that she could learn them.
-jk-