Should I “check my emotions at the door” or express how I feel? Role of emotion regulation versus expression of male leaders speaking out against sexism in the workplace

Abstract

As witnesses to workplace sexism, male leaders have the opportunity to leverage both their relative social privilege as men and authority as leaders to enact allyship. However, allyship is fraught. Expression of indignation may be viewed by observers as unprofessional, yet a muted response may lead observers to question their motives for allyship. Further, allyship that does not hit the mark may have a ripple effect on observers' perceptions of the leader‐ally, victim, transgressor, and organization. Thus, the present research (1) examined whether emotion expression during allyship influences observers' motive inferences of the leader‐ally, (2) examined whether emotion expression influences favorability of the leader‐ally, and (3) explored how a leader‐ally's emotional (or not) allyship behavior influences observers' perceptions of the victim, transgressor, and organization. Study 1 (n = 298) showed that prejudice confrontation accompanied by anger or sadness (vs. not) is associated with intrinsic motive inferences of the leader‐ally, and anger is seen as more appropriate and sincere when confronting prejudice. Study 2 (n = 112) showed that the leader‐ally was viewed as more favorable when prejudice confrontation was accompanied by anger (vs. not) because the leader‐ally was perceived as more sincere. Finally, qualitative data from thought‐listings across both studies showed that leader‐allies' anger expression was associated with greater calls for accountability of the transgressor and more positive impressions of the organization. However, anger expression also wrought highly polarized responses toward the victim, consisting of both support and victim‐blaming. Thus, authentic but measured emotion expression during confrontation is recommended.

COVID-19 Pandemic and Compassionate Leadership: Lessons Learned from Woman in Local Governance

“…During her leadership period, the Regent of North Luwu was a female leader who was very enthusiastic and passionate in carrying out her leadership period (Khatimah, 2022;Lukman, 2020bLukman, , 2021Lukman, , 2022aLukman, , 2022bNingrum & Aisyah, 2022;Samsul & Qodir, 2021;Ulandari et al, 2022;Wibowo, 2021); willing to do something She considered necessary for the progress or Is it in terms of development, protection, equity, or economic stability for the people of North Luwu Regency, who are facing a difficult situation as a result of the Corona Virus Disease of 2019 (COVID-19) (Musa 2022)? Based on the research data analysis, the leadership process of the Regent of Indah Putri Indriani in the North Luwu Regency Government, namely seeking to improve discipline, policy compliance, and accountability of her leadership with compassion for the subordinates she leads (Beaton et al, 2022;Crosweller, 2022;Warren et al, 2022), Figure 4 shows the success of the leadership process of the Indah Putri Indriani Regent within the North Luwu Regency Government, seen as (1) motherhood, (2) iron woman, (3) the Regent who chose leadership skills [disciplined, responsible, and conscientious], and (4) influence as the full identity of women. The compassionate leadership of the Regent of North Luwu Regency in dealing with the adverse effects of the COVID-19 pandemic by prioritising human rights in people's lives, Create a collaborative programme for Geneva Madani and UNICEF Indonesia.…”

Moving from problems to solutions: A review of gender equality interventions at work using an ecological systems approach

“…Active support from allies, that is, colleagues committed to supporting women (Washington & Evans, 1991), also promotes gender equality in the workplace. Care and support from colleagues and managers make women in masculine domains feel more appreciated (Warren, Bordoloi, & Warren, 2021), and advocacy by male colleagues can prevent institutional betrayal (Warren & Bordoloi, 2021; Warren & Bordoloi, in press), engendering a more positive appraisal of their organizational climate (Fernando et al, 2018; Warren, Sekhon, et al, 2021). Minority representation and the presence of allies are also related to minority women's anticipated trust and sense of belonging toward a prospective company (Pietri et al, 2018).…”

“If you want to be an ally, what is stopping you?” Mapping the landscape of intrapersonal, interpersonal, and contextual barriers to allyship in the workplace using ecological systems theory

“…We suggest that the first concentric circle represents the interpersonal work environment of the potential ally comprising the collegial relationships with marginalized group members they seek to serve, dominant group members who may hold social justice values as well as biases, and their leaders. Each of these may influence, shape, or exert control over their actions (see Warren, Sekhon, Winkelman, & Waldrop, 2022). The final concentric circle represents the contextual environment of the organization, capturing the inclusion climate, availability of high-quality diversity training, ally employee resource groups (ERGs), and other resources (e.g., Bezrukova et al, 2012;Center for Women and Business, 2017;Nishii, 2013), the absence of which may stunt the growth of the potential ally.…”

“…Further, taking allyship action is emotionally fraught. Expressing one's emotions of distress at witnessing injustice can risk offending some colleagues, yet suppressing emotions can lead observers to view the allyship act as performative (Warren, Sekhon, Winkelman, & Waldrop, 2022). Making a single reference to a marginalized group member's identity can be perceived as offensive, potentially creating a negative spiral (Cha et al, 2020).…”