John or Jane...who's more qualified?

According to a study presented to the US National Academies of Science, a persistent gender hiring bias exists in the field of academic science. The study, conducted by faculty from Yale University, states "Faculty participants rated the male applicant as significantly more competent and hireable than the (identical) female applicant."  To my shock, this study was not conducted in 1955 or even in 1985. It was conducted in 2009. Although the study focused on hiring practices within an academic setting, I would think that such bias still exists in many other sectors as well.

In our Leadership & Teamwork course this week, we were presented with many statistics about the status of women in business and the picture is not one where equality exists. Leadership positions are predominantly held by men and over the last few years, there hasn't been much improvement. It was a heated dialogue in our class as for many people (surprising for me, many women), the idea that women might hold an equal number of positions in the business world was something they did not fully support. They saw equality as posing a threat to the family itself, to the traditional role that women hold in our society.

While I certainly do not hold the same concerns, I think it's interesting to note that before every potential shift in our society, fear is the automatic reaction. When women first began working outside the home, people thought that it would mean the destruction of the family - it did not. When integration of schools was suggested, people thought it would result in a breakdown of the fabric of "society." It did not. Yes, there are pains that occur with any social change movement, but ultimately, if the change is driven by justice, equality or truth, society is better when the movement succeeds.

I hope that as women in the SFU MBA program, we will become part of the shift toward a greater number of strong, vibrant, skilled leaders within businesses across Canada and the world. I also hope that whether our name is Jane or John, we will be judged not on our gender but on our education and experience.