Unleashing the power of feminine traits in the workplace

September 23, 2020

Unleashing the power of feminine traits in the workplace

David M. Mayer

“Positive Organizational Scholarship principles have been pivotal in framing my research perspective. Using a positive lens on research makes you ask different questions than you might have before.”

David M. Mayer is unapologetically a feminist. And he’s boldly leading the way with research that hopes to answer the question: Why are men often discouraged from expressing stereotypically feminine characteristics that actually could help them become more effective leaders and be allies for gender equality?

While men are more likely to be seen as leaders, research shows women are more likely to be effective leaders, he says. That’s because their feminine qualities, like listening and being compassionate and nurturing, are the ones that help people succeed at work. Being held to traditional, rigid masculine standards has made it challenging for men.

“My hope is to find a modern form of masculinity that provides the type of social connections that allow men to live healthier lives,” David said. His research is especially timely in the wake of the #MeToo movement which has highlighted appalling and unacceptable behavior by some men towards women. “The goal is obviously not to condone this behavior. The goal is to allow men to be more open and vulnerable which could create a more hospitable work environment where women can thrive,” he noted.

A prolific researcher, David has been published in numerous academic journals and is regularly featured in many of the nation’s most widely read publications, from Harvard Business Review and The Conversation to Fast Company and Fortune. “Positive Organizational Scholarship principles have been pivotal in framing my research perspective,” he said. “Using a positive lens on research makes you ask different questions than you might have before.”

David is also a leader in studying behavioral ethics in organizations. He’s especially interested in those who are ethical almost all the time, despite temptations. “Applying a positive lens helps me assume people’s best intentions, and is useful for designing interventions that help people be the type of person they want to be,” he said.

David’s next project is a book on men and masculinity. “I’m featuring successful male leaders who display communal qualities, along with additional traits typically associated with women, like compassion. I hope this book will inform the discussions taking place across the American landscape today, especially related to gender equality,” he said.

David M. Mayer is the Jack D. Sparks Whirlpool Corporation Research Professor of Business Administration at Michigan Ross and research director of the Center for Positive Organizations.

This story and others appear in the Center for Positive Organizations 2020 Impact Report.