Women’s underrepresentation in leadership roles in organisations has attracted a lot of attention in recent years. Much of this focus centres on how women need to change in order to fit into organisations. This approach, often called ‘fixing the women’, has been criticised because it leaves systems and structures in organisations unchallenged.

Instead of changing women, it is organisational practices that need to change. This means that men as well as women have to engage reflectively with working practices. As men constitute 70% of managers and leaders in organisations, men in leadership roles are central to changing gender relations at work by altering their workplace practices. However, men’s relevance and responsibility for gender change in the workplace is often ignored.

Professor Elisabeth Kelan has led an extensive research project over two year on how men as middle managers can be agents of change and engage in gender inclusive leadership. She will share her findings in this session.

You can read her report here:
Linchpin – Men, Middle Managers and Gender Inclusive Leadership
https://www.cranfield.ac.uk/som/research-centres/global-centre-for-gender-and-leadership/gender-inclusive-leadership