Myth Busting: Things Women in Procurement Are Not (Part 2)

Equality, Divesity and Inclusion (EDI) are – rightfully – getting more focus than ever in organisations. When it comes to equality, women are breaking new ground and making greater strides in their career development and, while it’s slow progress in some areas, more women are getting into leadership positions than ever before.

To support this journey, Procurious has designed, and continues to deliver, a world-leading women-in-procurement program, our very own BRAVO.

However, women continue to be dogged by persistent myths and stereotypes in their procurement careers. Whether about ambition, leadership, or technical ability, the common thread among these myths is simple: they are just myths. And it’s high time they were busted for good. 

In our last article, we debunked three myths: women are less ambitious, more emotional, and less technically apt than men. In this article, we’ll look at three more common myths, in the hope that we can crush these misconceptions together. 

Myth 4: Women Don’t Want to Be in Leadership Positions

If you Google ‘secretary’ you’ll see, well, all women. A harmful myth in procurement is that women don’t seek leadership roles, preferring supportive or administrative positions instead. This belief suggests that women are less interested in the high-pressure, high-responsibility world of procurement leadership.

How this might play out in procurement

The idea that women don’t want to lead – that they don’t want to build and run successful global businesses – is a myth that Procurious and The Faculty’s founder, Tania Seary, has come up against many times before. 

She rarely gets time to seek out the advice of potential mentors, but recently, she flew from London to meet a successful founder of a media buying business. During her questioning, almost unbelievably, he paused and asked her whether her business was ‘just a hobby.’  As she recounts, she couldn’t believe that he had asked her this, and wondered whether the same question would have been levelled at her husband if he had founded the same two highly successful businesses. 

The Reality Check

The fact that there are, globally, still fewer women in leadership positions has nothing to do with aspirations, and everything to do with other obstacles. Many women aspire to leadership roles but face obstacles like biased promotion processes, lack of mentorship, and insufficient work-life balance support.

According to a McKinsey & Company and LeanIn.Org report, women are just as likely as men to want to advance in their careers, with over half of the women surveyed aspiring to senior management or executive roles. The same report found that women are often overlooked for promotions, even when expressing interest in leadership, due to unfounded assumptions about their career ambitions.

Myth 5: Family commitments affect women’s productivity or reliability

Let’s be honest, as a female, all cycles of womanhood can prove challenging for one reason or another. But motherhood can bring a unique set of challenges, especially when it comes to careers. There’s often an assumption that family obligations, especially motherhood, make women less dependable or committed to their careers. This myth overlooks the reality that all employees, regardless of gender, may have family responsibilities.

How this might play out in procurement

Has anyone in your team taken a period of parental leave? How did their transition back to the workplace look, did your organisation support them? Returning to work after parental leave can be challenging, especially as new parents navigate the new world of care. Those experiencing these new challenges may be unfairly judged as less reliable. 

This judgement can often call into question a woman’s – and let’s be honest, it is usually women’s – commitment to their career and their contributions, regardless of whether they may have actually changed post-motherhood. 

The Reality Check

Family commitments impact both men and women, and thankfully, more men than ever are taking on a more active role in parenting, with one in 20 men in Australia now taking parental leave, and one in three in the UK. Given this, it’s clear that family commitments impact both men and women, and that taking parental leave can be advantageous. It turns out that women’s (and men’s) productivity need not be impacted. There’s a lot organisations can do to support parents returning from maternity leave. 

Studies show women often develop highly effective time management and prioritisation skills to balance their work and family responsibilities. Research from Catalyst found that companies that offer flexible work arrangements benefit from increased productivity and employee loyalty across genders. Additionally, the notion that mothers are less committed is contradicted by data showing they often exhibit high engagement and efficiency at work.

Organisations that support flexible schedules and work-from-home options often see these employees bring new levels of dedication and innovation. Moreover, having diverse leaders who understand work-life balance challenges can be a significant advantage for procurement teams that need to be adaptable and resourceful.

Myth 6: Women aren’t as interested in networking or self-promotion

Have you ever felt awkward or downright terrified at a networking event? You’re not alone – and it’s not a gender thing, either. But still, the myth persists that women are less active or skilled at networking or self-promotion compared to men. This stereotype suggests women don’t invest in building professional relationships, which are crucial for career advancement.

How this might play out in procurement 

Promoting yourself isn’t easy, and research shows it’s especially challenging for women, who face the ‘competence/likeability’ dilemma. In a nutshell, society expects women to be more ‘likeable’ at work (i.e. pleasant, friendly and accommodating), which, as we all know in procurement, does not go hand-in-hand with making the sometimes challenging business decisions required to succeed. Self-promotion can feel as if it is making a woman less ‘likeable’, hence the uncomfortable feeling. 

In conference settings, women may feel more comfortable participating in group discussions and forming connections than giving solo presentations. It’s important to remember, though, that this networking style is not less effective – just different. 

The Reality Check

A degree of self-promotion is necessary to succeed at work – but as a woman, it’s ok to feel as if you are penalised for this. Organisations can do a lot to encourage women to self-promote and to apply for promotions, including encouraging women to apply for roles, even if they do not feel 100% qualified.

It’s important to look at networking styles with a different lens, also. Women are just as engaged in networking but often use different, yet highly effective, approaches. While men may engage in traditional forms of self-promotion or networking, women often favour more inclusive, collaborative, and relationship-based strategies. 

A study from the Harvard Business Review found that women leverage diverse, high-quality networks and create connections that are particularly effective in today’s team-oriented work culture. Moreover, women are often seen organising and participating in professional groups, both within and outside their organisations.

Recognising and valuing diverse networking methods helps companies build stronger, more diverse professional networks. These are key for strategic partnerships and successful supplier relations. Additionally, procurement teams can flourish when self-promotion and collaboration are balanced, creating a culture where both individual achievements and team successes are celebrated.Have you heard or experienced these myths yourself? Fortunately (or perhaps unfortunately), there are others.

Take a look back at our Myth-Busting Series Part 1, and stay tuned for our final round of debunking in Part 3.