“Women’s empowerment” is a common goal of gender-equity initiatives. But what do we really mean when we say we’re empowering women?

A recent study conducted by the Center for Women in Business (CWIB) at Rutgers Business School uncovered critical differences between men’s and women’s experiences of power. This study, conducted by Colleen Tolan, Alexander Van Zant, and Terri Kutzberg, is part of ongoing research to better understand gendered perceptions of power. The study included over 300 participants and found that men more often associated power with control, while women said power is more often tied to freedom.

This matters, because most corporate women’s advancement programs center on transferring power, or teaching women a predefined slate of skills purported to give them more control over their careers. By taking this approach, companies may be unintentionally communicating a culture of conformity by asking women to change who they are to succeed. This leaves many women, especially senior women, feeling stuck, because strong leaders need to have the ability to set expectations, not just fulfill them.

Read more at: https://hbr.org/2024/07/how-to-improve-womens-advancement-programs