Women on Top Leadership Positions in India

Abstract

“Think leader, think male” ,“Career is fundamentally a male thing”, “Women are not effective leaders” and many more. We frequently confront these notions in the society and workplaces. These gender specific preconceptions and attitudes are developed among women and men due to the socialisation process in the early stages of their life shaping their personalities, behaviours, and decisions. Society and family members play a significant role in the socialisation process. Two types of perceptions are the consequences of socialisation process, one is how men perceive about women and second is women’s own perceptions about themselves. Society expects men to play the role of “bread winner” and being tough and dominant whereas expects women to play the role of “care provider” or “home maker” and being soft and affectionate. Even if in some families females are taught that they are equal to their male counterparts and do whatever they want in life, later on they feel dissatisfied as they face discrimination while they interact with the society or join workforce of any organisation. Gender specific attitudes and preconceptions are deep rooted among the women and men in such a way that even women have accepted this dominant position of males in the society and it is very tough to change this social attitude. Women feel guilty if they give less time to the husband, elders or children.