Even as women leaders grow more confident in their own abilities, gender stereotypes continue to shape perceptions of what makes an effective leader—especially when it comes to future-facing skills, such as AI and data analysis.
A new Capgemini Research Institute report titled Gender and Leadership: Navigating Bias, Opportunity and Change, released on Wednesday, warns that such biases could reinforce the leadership gap at a time when technology is redefining what it means to lead.
The global study of 2,750 leaders across 11 countries finds that three in four (77%) men and women now believe women are as effective as men in leadership roles—a significant shift from earlier trends when women often underestimated their capabilities.
Confidence levels, too, have evened out, with 58% of women and 59% of men citing confidence as a key strength. More than two-thirds (68%) of respondents believe that having more women in leadership positions improves business performance.
Yet, beneath this progress lies a stubborn bias.
Nearly half of male respondents perceive critical future leadership skills, such as using AI, automation, innovation and data analysis, as “inherently masculine”. In contrast, most women see these skills as gender-neutral—with over a third even describing innovation as “inherently feminine”. Both groups acknowledge that AI proficiency is essential for career advancement, yet fewer than half (45% of women, 47% of men) consider it a personal strength.
“As technologies such as AI continue to disrupt the current business environment, leaders, regardless of their gender, must equip themselves with skills to navigate and shape the future of their function,” said Sarika Naik, chief corporate responsibility officer at Capgemini.
“It is crucial to recognise that gender stereotypes distort perceptions of leadership skills and consequently influence career progression for male and female executives. If left unaddressed, bias can also lead to widening the gender gap in the workforce. Organisations must work to disrupt these biases through increased training and intentional systematic interventions to build truly inclusive leadership cultures,” she added.
The report also highlights how both women and men face barriers linked to gender bias.
More than half (53%) of women say they’ve experienced negative bias in pay because of their gender, while 40% of men acknowledge receiving a pay advantage. Only half (52%) of leaders believe men and women enjoy equal promotion opportunities, and 39% say qualified women are still overlooked for leadership roles.
Interestingly, the study finds that men, too, feel the strain—with 38% citing poor work-life balance as a top obstacle to career progression.
The findings, based on responses from leaders across 10 key sectors, suggest that while gender parity in perception is improving, biases about technology and leadership could pose the next big barrier to equality in the boardroom.
A new Capgemini Research Institute report titled Gender and Leadership: Navigating Bias, Opportunity and Change, released on Wednesday, warns that such biases could reinforce the leadership gap at a time when technology is redefining what it means to lead.
The global study of 2,750 leaders across 11 countries finds that three in four (77%) men and women now believe women are as effective as men in leadership roles—a significant shift from earlier trends when women often underestimated their capabilities.
Confidence levels, too, have evened out, with 58% of women and 59% of men citing confidence as a key strength. More than two-thirds (68%) of respondents believe that having more women in leadership positions improves business performance.
Yet, beneath this progress lies a stubborn bias.
Nearly half of male respondents perceive critical future leadership skills, such as using AI, automation, innovation and data analysis, as “inherently masculine”. In contrast, most women see these skills as gender-neutral—with over a third even describing innovation as “inherently feminine”. Both groups acknowledge that AI proficiency is essential for career advancement, yet fewer than half (45% of women, 47% of men) consider it a personal strength.
“As technologies such as AI continue to disrupt the current business environment, leaders, regardless of their gender, must equip themselves with skills to navigate and shape the future of their function,” said Sarika Naik, chief corporate responsibility officer at Capgemini.
“It is crucial to recognise that gender stereotypes distort perceptions of leadership skills and consequently influence career progression for male and female executives. If left unaddressed, bias can also lead to widening the gender gap in the workforce. Organisations must work to disrupt these biases through increased training and intentional systematic interventions to build truly inclusive leadership cultures,” she added.
The report also highlights how both women and men face barriers linked to gender bias.
More than half (53%) of women say they’ve experienced negative bias in pay because of their gender, while 40% of men acknowledge receiving a pay advantage. Only half (52%) of leaders believe men and women enjoy equal promotion opportunities, and 39% say qualified women are still overlooked for leadership roles.
Interestingly, the study finds that men, too, feel the strain—with 38% citing poor work-life balance as a top obstacle to career progression.
The findings, based on responses from leaders across 10 key sectors, suggest that while gender parity in perception is improving, biases about technology and leadership could pose the next big barrier to equality in the boardroom.
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