Alexandra Feldberg

What can organizations do? First, understand that women managers face these challenges. Second, connecting women managers at peer levels may be one way for organizations to combat the performance effects of negative stereotypes and the bind (see article for more). (8/8)

Why do women managers face a task bind? My interviews show that part of the reason is that they feel pressure to show the people they manage that they are competent and capable in roles where they are stereotyped as not being competent and capable. (7/8)

Ultimately, spending less time on office tasks--specifically financial planning and analysis--undermines women managers' performance on related outcomes--in this case, the profitability of their departments. (6/8)

...BUT (and this is the bind) time spent doing tasks in front of subordinates comes at the expense of time spent doing other tasks, such that women managers spend less time than men do on office tasks, which occur away from subordinates. (5/8)

What does a task bind look like? In the grocery chain, I find that women managers feel the need to display their skills and defy negative stereotypes by doing tasks in front of the people they manage, these are typically floor tasks... (4/8)

As they choose between tasks, I find women managers experience a "task bind." A task bind is a dilemma that managers face as they try to disprove a negative stereotype by doubling down on one set of tasks at the expense of other essential tasks. (3/8)

I conducted this research in a chain of grocery stores, using interview and archival data to study department managers. These managers constantly make decisions about how to spend their time--doing manual tasks on the store floor or planning tasks in the store office. (2/8)

I am thrilled to share that my article, which introduces a new way that stereotypes can undermine women's ability to be effective managers--what I call a "task bind"--is now available via open access @ASQJournal. (1/8)