Women are more likely than men to embrace perfectionist tendencies like overpreparing and overdelivering at work, studies show. When used strategically, this habit can give female employees a sustainable advantage, according to new research.
Margarethe Wiersema, a professor at the UC Irvine Paul Merage School of Business, and Marie Louise Mors, a professor at the Copenhagen Business School, interviewed directors at more than 200 publicly traded companies on the major U.S. and European stock exchanges to determine how the presence of women influences board decisions.
Women were more willing than men to ask in-depth questions and acknowledge when they didn’t know something, for example, which researchers found led to more thorough and honest discussions.
One common habit in particular that women practiced more often than men made an “invaluable” impact on their careers and the work of the board, according to Wiersema: “What stood out most about the women we included in our research was their preparedness.”
A male director said in the study that women are “more prepared and more knowledgeable,” making them more “attuned directors.” Women tended to come into board meetings with thoughtful questions that improved discussions, and their colleagues were more motivated to read up before meetings.
This is also often true of female employees who aren’t on corporate boards, Wiersema says: “Women can change what’s going on in the room by being super prepared and sharing their knowledge.”
When you’re prepared, “you go in with more confidence, and when you’re confident, you are more likely to speak up in a meeting and make a valuable contribution to the conversation,” says Joanne Lipman, a lecturer at Yale University and bestselling author. “It ignites an upward spiral for your career.”
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