by Nycole Walsh
In honor of Women’s History Month, we’re exploring the hidden barriers that hold women back in the workplace. An agency founded by women, Kickstand has firsthand knowledge of the systemic changes that need to be made in order to unlock women’s full potential in the professional sphere.
Our Balancing the Boardroom: Navigating the Path to Equitable Leadership study revealed that around three in five women who currently hold leadership positions are aiming for the C-Suite, and half are eyeing corporate board positions. And yet, their path to achieving these goals remains uniquely constrained – not just by external opportunities, but by ingrained societal expectations.
To put it simply, even though we’re making strides to more equitable representation, we’re all still being told to “smile more.”
The cost of compliance
The lessons we’re taught when we’re young have a massive impact on how we advocate for ourselves as adults. While the corporate world of 2025 looks completely different from that of 2005, 2015, or even 2020 for that matter, one insidious truth remains constant: men and women are taught very different lessons from an early age.
According to the Balancing the Boardroom study, women were:
- 29% more likely than men to say “obedience” was expected of them growing up
- 48% more likely to say they were taught to be “agreeable”
- 100% more likely to recall being encouraged to be “quiet” or “submissive”
And yes, women were 94% more likely to report being taught they should “smile more.”
This emphasis on compliance over assertiveness can seriously hinder professional development. If we aren’t taught to voice our desires or concerns, how are we expected to become great leaders? And if workplace norms penalize women who lead with confidence, while rewarding those who conform to old-fashioned expectations of deference, how are we supposed to effect positive change for the next generation?
Even when women adopt the direct, results-driven leadership style that companies claim to value, they often face backlash. Our data revealed that women who identified as assertive were 50% more likely than men to have been called “too aggressive,” and 68% more likely to be labeled “too intimidating.”
Men were 74% more likely than women to say they’ve never received such criticism.
This double standard forces women into an impossible bind: be assertive and risk being seen as difficult, or be agreeable and risk getting overlooked.
The weight of unspoken expectations
Regardless of your role or industry, it should stand to reason that your professional worth is determined by your ability to complete the responsibilities assigned to you. If you want to climb the corporate ladder, you might go the extra mile and take on additional work outside of your job description.
It should be that simple, right?
If only.
Even women at the top of their fields are subject to disproportionate scrutiny unrelated to their skills or qualifications. Nearly half (47%) of female leaders told Kickstand they’ve received unprofessional comments about their appearance, making them 88% more likely to experience this than men.
Furthermore, despite strides made to eradicate sexual harassment in the workplace, more than a third of women in leadership positions reported fielding unwanted advances from a mentor (36%) or boss (40%).
That means in addition to navigating the already-complex world of corporate politics, women have to overcome the added barriers of objectification and adherence to unwritten rules about behavior and likability.
Rewriting the rules
The good news is, it doesn’t have to be this way. By making a concerted effort to confront and dismantle these biases, companies can create an environment where female employees feel both safe and supported to advance in their careers.
It should be obvious, but apparently it needs to be said: a great leader isn’t defined by their gender. Anyone has the potential to rise through the ranks and lead teams, departments, or entire businesses – it just requires a conscious commitment from employers to make it possible.
Here are three steps your company can take to achieve this:
- Recognize and challenge unconscious bias in feedback and performance reviews.
- Ensure leadership evaluation metrics prioritize performance effectiveness over likability.
- Foster environments where diverse leadership styles – not just those that conform to outdated expectations – are valued and celebrated.
If you want your female employees to smile more, this is how you do it.
Learn more
For deeper insights into the systemic barriers to leadership and how your company can effect positive change, download our full Balancing the Boardroom report today (no gate, just good data).
