Monday, April 18, 2011
Staff report
YOUNGSTOWN
Women employees who use compliments and favors when interacting with others and have a knack for political skill in the workplace have a higher chance of getting promoted.
That’s one of the main conclusions of a recent study by Jacob Breland, Youngstown State University assistant professor of management, whose article “Influence and Promotability: Importance of Female Political Skill” was recently published in the Journal of Managerial Psychology.
Breland, who earned an MBA in 2004 from the University of Southern Mississippi and a doctorate in human resources from the University of Mississippi in 2008, has been researching how women are affected by gender stereotypes in career advancement.
His latest study focuses on how ingratiation and assertiveness can impact a female employee’s likability, which is related to her likelihood of being promoted.
Brelin said ingratiation involves creating a positive image of one’s self in the minds of others and includes such approaches as complimenting, doing favors for and showing interest in others.
Conversely, assertiveness is a direct and demanding influence tactic. While it’s viewed positively in men, assertiveness is often considered a less appropriate characteristic in females.
In the study, Breland and colleagues from the University at Buffalo and Niagara University studied 136 matched responses from employees and their supervisors at a national retail chain. Subordinates completed a questionnaire used to assess their levels of ingratiation, assertiveness and political skill.
Their supervisors were then asked questions regarding the evaluations of their subordinates’ likability and promotability.
What Breland and colleagues found is that women who skillfully employ ingratiation can be more successful than those who are less skilled.
“Women with ingratiatory behaviors are more likely to have higher likability and promotability—especially when they are also politically skilled,” he said.
The team found no relationship between women being assertive and being promoted.
Though the article doesn’t offer direct advice to women on how to get promoted, Breland said that “the gist seems to be that it’s useful to be socially aware. Our research indicates the more politically skilled you are, the higher your likability factor.”
He said political skill involves an ability to scan the workplace to identify its social landscape, build networks and understand its power structure.
“Embrace politics in the workplace; view them positively,” he said. “They’ve always been with us, and they aren’t going away.”
Breland teaches human-resource management and compensation courses at YSU and advises the Society for Human Resource Management student group.
He is planning research on racial differences and relational issues in the workplace.