Google search women in PR and more than a dozen sites will open. Go to the library and all reputed authors in PR have written about women and how there is a need to boost their self confidence to move in higher positions of PR agency. So we know that there is a problem. There is no fire without a spark.
When I researched a few top agencies of London none of them had a woman leading it.
I will give you 3 reasons why women may not be able to lead a PR agency.
The first reason is that women may possess those abilities and skills which are required for leadership roles in a PR agency. You say women are persuasive, caring, and cooperative, with good communication skills. They are intuitive and spontaneous—perfect qualities to do a technicians role not a leaders role.
Research proves that leadership roles require completely different skills, that you be forceful, independent, logical, resilient and decisive. Lot of women think they have it but they don’t.
The second reason why women may not lead a PR agency and research proves it, is ‘networking.’ Networking arrangement provides invaluable information, visibility and support. Men have the time to socialize more and thus benefit from what we call’ fill in the gaps’ while let’s say drinking at a pub. I am not promoting women going to pubs but the case here is they cannot network as much as men do and I cannot stress enough why contacts are so important in running a PR agency.
The third reason why women may not run a PR agency, is due to occupational stress. Men and women managers often share common stressors, but women in managerial roles are faced with additional pressures, both from work and home/ social environment.. not experienced by male managers.
Book Ref.:
1. Grunig: Women in Public relations. How gender influences practice
2.Davidson & cooper: Shattering the Glass ceiling
3. Wirth: Breaking through the Glass Ceiling
4.Wilcox: Relations strategies and tactics
5. Cutlip: Effective public relations
No comments:
Post a Comment