INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
Women said that they can only pursue their ambitions to a point to ensure stability
many deliberately avoid the spotlight so that they can avoid backlash and balance work with family responsibilities, says a study.The study
by Stanford University researchers found that women adjusting to evolving family needs often determined that embracing a behind-the-scenes
approach allowed them to be effective while staying out of the spotlight and avoiding negative backlash.These women adopted a strategy that
the researchers called "intentional invisibility," a risk-averse, conflict-avoiding approach to navigating unequal workplaces, according to
the researchers, Priya Fielding-Singh."Because there was no clear path to having it all, many chose to prioritize authenticity and conflict
reduction at work and home," she added.For the study, the researchers focused on a women's professional development programme at a large
programme-wide meetings where many women shared the barriers and biases they encountered at their organisation as well as the strategies
they used to overcome them.They found that for many of the women they studied, there are competing expectations that get in the way of them
following common career tips like "take a seat at the table," "speak with authority" and "interject at meetings".Many of the women
participating in the study told the researchers that they felt a double bind -- if they worked on the sidelines, they could be overshadowed
backfire.In the end, the authors said, it is organisations - not the women embedded within them - that need to adapt to create gender
