1996 AACSB Annual Meeting Workshop
DEVELOPING WOMEN BUSINESS SCHOOL LEADERS
April 21, 1996

"Identifying and Overcoming Barriers
for Women Deans in Business Schools"

Summary by Patricia M. Flynn

As part of the one‑day workshop, breakout groups met for 45 minutes to identify:  (I) barriers for women in becoming a business school dean, and (II) suggestions for overcoming such barriers. The following summarizes the discussions of the 5 groups.

I.  BARRIERS (in no particular order)

 (1)   PERCEPTIONS/STEREOTYPES

• That men are more effective in cultivating external constituencies.

• That women may not be able to handle difficult faculty, who are often male, or have their support.

• That women do not want the authority/power.

• That women are "soft", weak, emotional, etc.

• That a woman dean wouldn't "fit in".

• That acceptability in the corporate boardroom is more likely "male".

  (2)   PAUCITY OF WOMEN CANDIDATES

• Small number of tenured women in business departments and business schools to generate pool of candidates.
• Some qualified women do not apply.

• Some because they think it's hopeless.
• Some believe the search committee is just looking for female "names" so they can say women were included in the search.
• Some may not find the position appealing.
• Others may lack self‑confidence. They don't give themselves enough credit; they are not assertive enough. Some may think they will be perceived as aggressive, too ambitious, etc.
• Seen as high risk move, with little likelihood of getting the job and risk of alienating others.
• Some may not want to "claw" their way to the top. Not interested in becoming "one of the guys", nor playing the games perceived necessary to get there.

(3)  MANY WOMEN ARE UNPREPARED FOR THE POSITION

• Women faculty often spend their time in ways that do not provide them with the contacts and skills that could help them to become deans, e.g., women often accept time consuming service assignments that do not "count.”

• Too much service, "woman in residence" syndrome.

•  Women put in "female" powerless roles, e.g., taking the minutes.

• Women lack external visibility, and fund raising experience.

• Women have a need for self promotion, but are criticized for so doing.

• Lack of respect for specialties in which women work.

  (4)  LACK OF MENTORS

• Few women mentors available; those women who are deans are usually over extended (perception that they need to do more and be better than their male counterparts to be viewed effective); some also juggle family responsibilities; none have wives (let alone wives at home raising the children and taking care of the house); once they become deans, women are in great demand to speak, serve on committees, etc.

• Reluctance on the part of women to approach male deans to serve as a mentor.

• Women believe there are few male deans who are willing or who would be effective mentors to them.

  (5)  SEARCH COMMITTEES

• Might feel selecting a woman dean might be "bad" for the school, i.e., how would business leaders, potential students and alumni/ae view this?

• Are often dominated by white males who might not be inclined to select a woman as dean.

• May assume viable candidates have had to "be a dean".

• Male "selectors" biases requiring more experience; vague criteria.

•  Women may not interview well, i.e., they may not present their qualifications in the best way, may not know how best to handle some types of questions (e.g., your strengths and weaknesses)

  (6)    CAREER PATHS NOT WELL DEFINED

• Career path to dean is not well defined, thereby leaving decisions more subjective and often male determined.

• Not clear whether individuals interested in becoming dean are better off publishing more, becoming an assistant or associate dean, etc.

• Women accept the responsibility (up front) without the title and without negotiating for pay, money, resources.

  (7)  HOSTILE ENVIRONMENT

•  "Masculine" type structure: ambiguous measures of competency; hierarchical, top down.

• Overly conservative tradition.

• Lack support from the top, from the system.

• Continued competency testing of women deans; have to prove one's self over and over.

  (8) THREAT TO MEN

• If women obtain more positions as dean there will be fewer such opportunities for men.

• If more and more women become deans, the position will lose status, relative pay, etc.

• Some males are threatened by women in authority

 (9)    FAMILY ISSUES

• Timing,  marriage, family, career role.

• Dual career families might restrict ability to move

(10)  INERTIA

II. SUGGESTIONS FOR OVERCOMING THE BARRIERS

 (1)    TRAINING/WORKSHOPS

• Self marketing skills.

•  Negotiating skills.

• Fundraising skills.

• Dealing with the Legislature.

• Confidence building.

(2) MENTORS AND ROLE MODELS

• Work to increase numbers of male and female mentors and role models for women deans.

(3) CHANGE STEREOTYPES

• More than one right way of doing things.

• Highlight visibility of women deans and their accomplishments.

• Highlight women leaders who have successfully juggled family and work.

(4)  EDUCATE WOMEN ABOUT THE BENEFITS OF BECOMING A DEAN

• Help women (and men) see power as a way to change, rather than control over people.

• Ability to change the way things are done.

• Can build flexibility into the position.

• Women are good team builders, consensus builders, etc.

• Since having woman dean is still rare, it can help generate a lot of free publicity.

(5)  STRATEGIC USE OF TIME

• Need to say no to some activities/opportunities that present themselves. Offer names of others who might fit the opportunity.

• Seek out other opportunities (e.g. volunteer to work with local‑Chamber of Commerce and other business groups).

• Get a staff person to do some things (e.g., take minutes, or get a man to do it.)

• Don't go to a meeting just because your calendar is "open"; meeting agenda should determine whether you go or not.

• Rethink the things are "usually" done and revise as needed.

(6)  BUILD THE PIPELINE

• Use proactive measures/opportunities to undergraduates, graduates, faculty.

(7)  SUPPORT GROUPS

• Generate support groups to provide women opportunities to voice their fears, get advice, network, etc.

(8)  RESEARCH

• Generate case studies.

• Document career paths of current deans, male and female.

(9)  BEST PRACTICES

• Link needed changes in academic environment to paradigm shifts in industry.

• Link needed changes to changing customer, demographics, and customer needs.

• Model best practices.

(10)  OTHER THINGS WOMEN CONSIDERING “DEANING” CAN DO

• Always "do your homework" and speak from facts/data rather than opinions when possible. challenge statements made by others that appear to be opinions, i.e., "What evidence do you have that that is true? Could you give a specific example of what you are referring to?" etc. Forces others to focus on actual events, facts, etc.

• Build "informal leadership" ‑ establish your leadership/speaking up without title.

• Be more direct; don't be afraid of making "reasonable" assertions.

• Do not be afraid to share/establish expertise and benchmarking experience.

• Bring in outsiders to empower your position.

• Bring in more female "experts," speakers, etc.

•  “Keep pushing;" step up to the plate to make sure women's issues are on the agenda.

• Don't take things personally; plod on.

• Network, network, network.

• Don't "carry the baggage" of lack of trust.

• Get the issue to the top; pressures can be exerted from top.

• Make your agenda clear.

• Dialogue. Information is power.

• Take on fewer assignments; execute them well. Take the credit.

• Take risks and forgive yourself for mistakes.

• Plan to ask one good, insightful question at all seminars, large lectures, AACSB workshops, etc.