Angela Merkel is known as the “Chancellor of the Free World”. According to TIME Magazine, Merkel grew up on a Lutheran Seminary that, from time to time functioned as a workplace for mentally disabled adults. By the age of 17 she had realized just the kind of fortress she was living under in eastern Germany. In this blog I will tie together the fundamentals learned both in Williams and Northouse readings, with examples from Angela Merkel’s life.
Being involved in government in anyway is a big deal for a woman, but being the chancellor (or prime minister if you will) has many responsibilities and is a massive deal for women. According to Northouse, as of April 2014, the world average of women’s representation in national legislatures or parliaments was 21.9% (Northouse, 2016, p. 398). Northouse also outlines a section in his book labeled “Human Capital Differences”. A prominent set of explanations related to the smaller amount of women in higher leadership roles is due to the fact that women have less human capital investment in education, training and work experience than men (Northouse, 2016, para., p. 399). However, according to Statista, in 2017 34.7% of women have a college degree whereas only 33.7% of men have a college degree. Furthermore, it is very interesting to state that Merkel has multiple college degrees, including a bachelor’s in physics and physical chemistry, as well as a doctorate in quantum chemistry (www.csmonitor.com). How are why she went for politics is beyond me. Moving on from education brings me to the next important point, the labyrinth.
This invisible place, known as the labyrinth has evolved from the glass ceiling. Merkel’s naviagation of the “labyrinth” has been key to her success. After the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989, Merkel joined the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) political party. Soon after, she was appointed to Helmut Kohl’s cabinet as minister for women and youth, and later she served as minister for the environment and nuclear safety. Following Kohl’s defeat in the 1998 general election, she was named secretary-general of the CDU. In 2000, Merkel was chosen party leader, but she lost the CDU candidacy for chancellor to Edmund Stoiber in 2002 (www.biography.com). What’s more impressive than that is the fact that Merkel topped the Forbes List of the most powerful women in the world for the seventh consecutive year in 2017, and for the 12th time overall (www.biography.com). Along with “navigating the labyrinth” comes facing the barriers. Williams discusses three very important barriers, organizational, interpersonal and personal. A strong bullet pointed out under the organizational barriers section is “higher standards of performance” (for women). This small sub-section examines how women are held to higher standards then men and expected to achieve more. Fortunately for Merkel she has gone way above and beyond that. As a matter of fact it might not be to bold to say that she has gone above most men and women.
Finally, the strengths and criticisms that come with the research done on gender and leadership. Promoting a richly diverse group of women into leadership roles will not only help make societal institutions, businesses, and governments more representative, but it can also contribute to more ethical, productive, innovative, and financially successful organizations that demonstrate higher levels of collective intelligence and are less rife with conflict (Bernardi, Bosco, & Columb, 2009; Catalyst, 2004; Forsyth, 2010; Miller & Del Carmen Triana, 2009; Nielsen & Huse, 2010; Woolley, Chabris, Pentland, Hashmi, & Malone, 2010). It’s just common sense to think that having a group of people whose brains are wired differently than a man’s will have a different way of looking at something. In some cases it could be worse but, in some cases it could be better. Which brings us to criticisms. Unfortunately, although research is being done on gender, not much has been done on minority/gender leadership. One of the most important things that will need to be done in order to further our success in leadership will be doing that research specifically.
In conclusion, gender and leadership can and will be equal at some point. And we’ll most likely be better off because of it. Assuming that women continue to not only equal, but outdo men in college degrees, it’s only a matter of time before they take over the work force. While taking over the work force they will in turn equal if not out number the amount of men in high end leadership roles. If women continue to navigate the labyrinth and breakdown the barriers in front of them they will also achieve great success in their fields. However, only by combining all of these things and working together alongside both men and women, will women be able to achieve what they wish to as a whole.
References:
Americans with a college degree 1940-2017, by gender. Retrieved from https://www.statista.com/statistics/184272/educational-attainment-of-college-diploma-or-higher-by-gender/
Angela Merkel: Her bio in brief. (2013, September 20). Retrieved from https://www.csmonitor.com/World/Europe/2013/0920/Angela-Merkel-her-bio-in-brief
Angela Merkel. (2018, March 05). Retrieved from https://www.biography.com/people/angela-merkel-9406424
Bernardi, R. A., Bosco, S. M., & Columb, V. L. (2009). Does female representation on boards of directors associate with the “Most Ethical Companies”list? Corporate Reputation Review, 12, 270-280.
Calabresi, M. (2015). TIME Person of the Year 2015: Angela Merkel. Retrieved from http://time.com/time-person-of-the-year-2015-angela-merkel/
Northouse, P. G. (2016). Leadership. Los Angeles: Sage.
Williams, J. (2018, June 29). Lesson 13: Leadership and Diversity. Retrieved from https://psu.instructure.com: https://psu.instructure.com/courses/1940315/modules/items/24597605