Happiness Through Humanism: Why Our Brains Struggle with Women in Leadership

The human brain is an incredible pattern recognition device. Every day, it sifts through thousands of pieces of information, creating and reinforcing patterns to help us navigate the world efficiently. But this incredible capacity can also become a barrier, especially when it comes to bias against women in leadership roles.

For many, the traditional image of a leader is a man. This isn't surprising, given that for centuries leadership roles—whether in business, politics, or other spheres—have been overwhelmingly dominated by men. Over time, this has solidified a powerful mental model: leadership = male.

So, what happens when a woman steps into a leadership role? For some people, their brains simply don’t recognize the pattern. The brain, accustomed to a different model of leadership, resists this new input because it doesn’t align with the established mental pattern. As a result, people may unconsciously doubt, resist, or even undermine women in leadership positions—not because of conscious prejudice, but because their brains are wired to expect something different.

This isn’t an excuse for sexism, but it is a way to understand it. Our brains tend to fight what they don’t recognize. But the good news is that we can retrain our brains. Just as any other skill, brain patterns can be changed with enough repetition.

Training the Brain: The Power of Representation

One of the most effective ways to reshape these mental models is through repeated exposure to new patterns. This is where representation becomes critical. The more we see women in leadership positions—whether in real life or in stories—the more our brains can adapt to the idea that women belong in these roles.

Think of it as updating an old operating system. With enough repetition, the brain learns to recognize women as leaders just as easily as it does men. This is why representation in media, stories, and everyday life is so important. It's not just about fairness; it’s about retraining society’s collective brain to recognize women in power as the new normal.

The Resistance to Change

Of course, not everyone is on board with this change. Some people push back against the idea of women in leadership—or against representation of diverse groups in stories—because their brains don’t like the disruption. When you hear complaints about “too much diversity” in media, for example, it’s often a reflection of discomfort with shifting mental models.

The key to overcoming this discomfort is understanding that change takes time and repetition. The more we expose our brains to new leadership models, the easier it becomes to accept them. It’s not about forcing change on people, but rather about giving their brains enough new information to work with, so that eventually, the idea of a woman in charge becomes as familiar and comfortable as any other well-established pattern.

Dealing with Resistance and Sabotage

While repetition and exposure can help many people adapt to new patterns, not everyone will welcome change, and some may actively resist or sabotage your efforts to create a more inclusive leadership culture. This resistance often stems from discomfort or fear of the unfamiliar, but it can also manifest as deliberate actions aimed at undermining progress. In these cases, it's crucial to recognize that not everyone will adapt—some may dig in their heels to maintain the status quo. My course, Safeguarding Diversity and Inclusion: Unmasking Saboteurs, delves deeply into how to harness behavioral change for good while addressing those who resist. When faced with individuals who continuously sabotage your efforts, the best course of action is to remove them from the equation. Firing individuals who are undermining change not only protects the integrity of your initiative but also sends a clear message that diversity and inclusion are non-negotiable values in your organization. https://hr-credits-us.learnformula.com/course/safeguarding-diversity-and-inclusion-unmasking-saboteurs

More learning at: https://humanistlearning.com

Conclusion

Bias against women in leadership isn’t just a cultural issue; it’s also a brain science issue. Our brains are wired to recognize patterns, and for too long, leadership has been synonymous with men. By increasing representation and normalizing women in positions of power, we can retrain our brains to see leadership in a more inclusive way. The solution lies in understanding that change happens through repetition and exposure—and that’s why representation matters so much.