In my early career, especially when I made the career flip to the male-dominated consulting sector, I carried a lot of frustration. At the time I didn’t always know what the cause was, but I recall it was a lot to do with having little opportunity to share my opinions, or repeatedly having my voice closed down due to time limits. Those limits often disappeared in the very same meeting when a male colleague had something to offer. I didn’t see it clearly at the time, but with hindsight, I can see how credibility bias played out in assuming that the male voice was more credible and deserved more airtime. I recently heard this called #manterruptions.
The issue remains prevalent. Gender inequality is a persistent issue in the workplace, manifesting not just in pay gaps and leadership roles, but also in subtler ways that chip away at women’s voices and influence. Meetings are perhaps one of the most frequent places where we can see this credibility bias show up. Research reveals a concerning trend: women are frequently interrupted by men, hindering their ability to contribute and be heard.
The Power of Speaking Up: Breaking the Manterruptions cycle
Meetings are crucial for brainstorming, decision-making, and project development. When women are interrupted, it disrupts their train of thought, diminishes the value of their ideas, and undermines their authority. A 2017 study by McKinsey & Company found that women are interrupted 33% more often than men in meetings. This can lead to:
- Reduced confidence: Constant interruptions can make women feel hesitant to speak up in the future, hindering their participation and career advancement.
- Loss of valuable ideas: When women’s voices are silenced, their unique perspectives and insights are not considered, leading to potentially less effective solutions.
- A culture of bias: Unchallenged interruptions reinforce the unconscious bias that men’s contributions are more important.
Breaking the Cycle: What Can We Do?
Fortunately, steps can be taken to create a more inclusive meeting environment. Here are some suggestions:
- Awareness is key: Highlighting the issue of interruptions through training and open discussions can raise awareness of unconscious bias. One simple way to check out whether there is equal contribution is to record a meeting (with permission) using a transcribing tool and then see how often interruptions occur.
- Meeting etiquette: Establish ground rules for respectful communication, including allowing someone to finish speaking before another begins. Starting each meeting (time and context allowing) with a round robin where everyone gives a brief update also sets a tone of all voices being equal.
- Ally intervention: When a woman is interrupted, a male colleague can intervene politely, reminding everyone of the established rules.
- Retaking the mic: It can be hard to pull back the meeting, if someone has interrupted and sent the discussion down another road, but feeling comfortable re-interrupting and returning to the point you are making is a very powerful way of changing the dynamic. Interrupting can feel very jarring, especially if we recognise the #goodgirl conditioning I talked about in the last blog, but using a simple phrase such as; “If I could just finish my point about.. ” will help to bring the attention back and regain your authority smoothly.
Building a More Equitable Workplace
Silencing women’s voices is one of the many ways that unconscious bias plays out at work. Taking time to observe the dynamic and taking action when it happens is the key to changing it. Addressing interruptions is part of a larger movement towards gender equality in the workplace.
By fostering an environment where all voices are heard and valued, organisations can benefit from a wider range of perspectives, leading to better decision-making, innovation, and employee satisfaction.
Want to hear more?
Join me on International Women’s Day – Friday 8th March, 9.30am GMT, where I will share the 4 ways to #InspireInclusion and create more gender equality
https://www.linkedin.com/events/7166390123973038081/comments/