Are women better crisis managers?
Assistant Professor Munira Šestić

At this moment, it is challenging to ask the question that I have chosen to ask – because I know in advance that there will be at least two answers to it – one, affirmative, with numerous arguments and examples the affirmation is based on, and the other, negative, again with a number of reasons against. But it is my aim to instigate a constructive discussion and encourage different opinions. My question from the title is also aimed at our students, both male and female. I would like them to present their stances with arguments and give their answers – actually, let this article on the blog be a question for them as well. I especially encourage them, because there are no wrong answers.

So: „Are women better crisis managers?“, that is „Are women the better crisis managers?“ – a question, i.e., a topic that is often being intensively discussed and written about in the last 12 months (Forbes, Harvard Business Review). No matter which shape of appearance the crisis has and who faces it, the crisis is always multidimensional. And we as individuals form our own opinions following the activities of all those that are in the position to manage companies, organizations, institutions and states, especially now in „the crisis we all live in“ during the last year.  

However, although the question from the title is often posed during the pandemics, it was also present before. „Women are mostly less self-confident than men. Excessive self-confidence in the period of crisis can lead to the neglection of signs that predict the crisis  (Meital Stavinsky)  - women managers, however, tend to recognize these signs and make decisions according to them – and only after they get to hear your opinion and acquire all data the decisions are then based on.“. 

It was precisely the dedication of emloyees that was increasing (Zenger Folkman, 2020) while working with a woman as their superior during this crisis. The difference in the dedication of employees was based on the employees' perception that women as their superiors in the condition of crisis, give greater significance to interpersonal skills: inspiration and motivation, intensive communication with employees, mutual cooperation and team work... Additionally, and unlike other crises, the pandemics has brought another dimension with – „shifting“ the boundaries between personal and business aspects. Crisis managers have now been faced with the crisis that had their employees' personal lives and health in focus – women leaders took care of health of their workers in a way they hadn't done ever before.

Are women really more successful in managing critical situations and shrewder when it becomes difficult? Studies that have been published in the last several years (Psychology of Women Quarterly) show that when an organization is going through a crisis, it is more likely that a woman will be chosen to lead the organization rather than a man. On the other hand, there are interesting findings when it comes to the political „arena“ – studies show that a candidate will have better chances for a political election if the position is „safe“; but in case the position is considered to be „difficult“ to get, there are bigger chances a woman candidate will take it.  

In the periods of crises, the person leading the country and the person leading the company and organization, should send their citizens and their employees messages of empathy, joint efforts in facing uncertainties and all this with a sense of hope – that they will face and overcome the crisis together. Transparency is very important because it instigates trust of the citizens and employees – even when something negative is being reported or said – uncertainty creates fear, and transparency gives trust (Angela Merkel, Erna Solberg, Jacinda Arden).

And let me „justify“ myself for posing this question... I always come back to the article by Ester Duflo (Esther Duflo) who in 2012 „pushed“ me to even dare to ask a gender-related question in academic research by her - „Women Empowerment and Economic Development“: „Empowerment of women and economic development are tightly connected. Although development itself will empower women, the empowerment of women will make changes in the process of decision-making  and this will have a direct impact to development.“ This is the best argument for posing this question. This is why I encourage you to give your own answer, your argument. And as I said at the beginning, there are no right or wrong answers, only argued opinion exchanges in regard to the topic: Think crisis – think female? 

Regards,

Sarajevo, March 22, 2021