Myth Busting: Things Women in Procurement Are Not (Part 1)

It’s 2025 and many women in procurement are realising their vision of becoming the leaders they knew they could be. They are excelling, even through the many challenges that the cycles of womanhood can throw at them. 

And to support this journey, here at Procurious, we’ve even deliver one of the best women-in-procurement programs – BRAVO.

Yet despite all of these achievements, there continues to be a persistent foe shadowing womens’ successes and advancement – myths and stereotypes about women in the workplace. These myths can be frustrating and soul-destroying, and often stand in the way of career success. For these reasons, these myths need to be busted – now – and both women and men of procurement need to help by spreading the word. 

In this new series, we’ll take a look at some of the most harmful myths, as well as all the reasons that they are just that: myths. So get reading and get sharing, and hopefully we can crush these misconceptions, once and for all. 

Myth 1: Women are less ambitious or career-focused 

Everyone in our BRAVO program – and many beyond – will know that still, in some circles, there remains the myth that women are less career-oriented or ambitious than men. This stereotype often stems from assumptions about family responsibilities, suggesting that women might sacrifice career progression for caregiving duties. 

However, when you look more closely, the evidence on this simply doesn’t add up. 

How this might play out in procurement 

Before we take a look at the (overwhelming) evidence that this myth is untrue, let’s take a look at how it might play out in procurement. 

We need not speculate on this, as it’s something that has happened to Procurious and the Faculty founder, Tania Seary. Throughout her career, she often encountered questions that undermined her clear talent and aspirations, including repeated questions about when she might have a family, with the insinuation that this would be her priority. 

The Reality Check…

Most women in procurement have come across the assumption that they are somehow less ambitious or may have other priorities. But it simply isn’t true. 

Research shows women are equally ambitious as men, particularly in pursuing leadership roles and seeking opportunities for professional growth. According to a McKinsey & Company study on women in the workplace, 71% of women and 72% of men expressed a desire to advance to senior leadership roles. The ambition gap simply doesn’t exist. Instead, systemic barriers and organisational biases create challenges that hinder women’s career progression: such as this very myth that they may have other priorities.

Further evidence supports the finding that ambition is not gendered. A survey by LeanIn.Org revealed that women and men set similar goals for career advancement, with over half of the women surveyed aiming for C-suite positions. 

Additionally, the study highlighted that women are equally likely as men to take steps to further their careers, such as negotiating for raises or seeking out challenging assignments. However, women often face greater obstacles in their professional journeys, including biased assumptions about their long-term commitment and potential. These barriers, and not a lack of ambition, contribute to gender disparities at the top levels of leadership.

Myth 2: Women are more emotional and less rational 

Put your hand up if you’ve ever cried at work? Many of us have, and it might not be a bad thing, but the idea that women are too “emotional” for high-stakes roles is a stereotype that undermines women’s credibility. This myth suggests women’s emotional expression undermines their rationality and decision-making, particularly in roles demanding strategic and analytical expertise.

How this might play out in procurement

Imagine this: you’re handling a high-pressure negotiation with a critical supplier. It’s stressful, and your supplier’s temperament is questionable. Success requires reading the room, yet colleagues often prioritise rationality, viewing emotions as a weakness rather than a strength.

But that simply isn’t true. Managing stress, adapting communication, and transforming potential conflict into productive agreement are essential skills for navigating professional challenges effectively. Your emotional intelligence doesn’t make you less rational – it’s actually a strategic asset. 

The Reality Check…

All humans, regardless of gender, experience emotions, and expressing them does not preclude rationality. The notion that emotional expression equates to irrationality is rooted in outdated views of leadership. Modern workplaces increasingly value emotional intelligence (EI), a quality that women, on average, exhibit more strongly than men. Emotional Intelligence, which includes self-awareness, empathy, and effective communication, is a key component of successful leadership and negotiation – crucial skills for procurement professionals.

A study by the Harvard Business Review found that women outperform men in nearly all measures of emotional intelligence, such as empathy and relationship management. These skills are essential in procurement, where negotiating contracts, managing supplier relationships, and collaborating with cross-functional teams are daily challenges. 

A woman with high EI can navigate complex supplier negotiations by understanding and leveraging emotional cues, ultimately securing better outcomes for her organisation.

Myth 3: Women are less skilled in technical and quantitative roles

One frustrating, untrue, yet persistent stereotype is that men are naturally better suited for technical or analytical work. This myth is damaging and perpetuates gender imbalances in STEM-related fields, including technical aspects of procurement such as data analysis and risk management.

How this might play out in procurement

Everyone has one of these women in their team. The one who was tasked with optimising supply chain efficiency through advanced data analytics. The one who developed a robust model to predict demand fluctuations and minimise inventory costs. Or, the one who excelled at all things technical – or more, all things procurement – but then people either kind of couldn’t believe she did it, or questioned what she’d achieved (whereas if her male colleague had done the same, it would have been all okay). 

This is this exact myth in action, and it can lead to a minimisation of how good women really are at all things technical. 

The Reality Check…

For that woman or women in your team, their technical expertise is not rare for their ‘gender’ – in fact, scientific research confirms that gender has no bearing on a person’s innate ability to excel in technical or quantitative work. Performance gaps that appear in academic or professional settings are largely the result of cultural biases, not biological differences. 

A meta-analysis published in Psychological Bulletin revealed that men and women have comparable mathematical abilities, debunking the idea of a gender-based discrepancy in technical skills.

What’s more, companies can’t afford to buy into this myth about women because if they do, they miss out. A 2020 report by Deloitte highlighted that organisations with gender-diverse teams are 1.4 times more likely to innovate successfully. This indicates that women’s technical contributions are not just on par with but can elevate team performance. Initiatives like mentorship programs and targeted recruitment efforts have successfully increased the presence of women in quantitative roles, proving that aptitude is not the issue – opportunity and support are.

Have you heard or experienced these myths yourself? Fortunately (or perhaps unfortunately?), there are many others, but we’re excited to continue our debunking. Stay tuned for Parts 2 and 3 in our Myth-Busting Series.