Analysis: Workplaces tend to thrive where there is a natural balance between human connection, empathy, emotional intelligence and professional goals
There has been much discussion about a recent episode of The Joe Rogan Experience, where Meta and Facebook boss Mark Zuckerberg effectively said that the corporate world needs more masculine energy. Although he did not use those exact words, he did call for more masculine energy in corporations, saying they are “neutered” and are “trying to get away” from masculine energy, while a culture that “celebrates the aggression” has merits.
What is masculine energy?
Masculine energy is often described as a set of qualities and traits that are typically associated with action, structure, strength, and purpose. However masculine energy is not limited to men: everyone has both masculine and feminine energy. Indeed, Zuckerberg also went on to say “you want feminine energy, you want masculine energy” in the same energy. Zuckerburg also remarked “you’re gonna have parts of society that have more of one or the other. I think that’s all good”
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But is it “all good”?
If I asked you to imagine the typical entrepreneur, the image that probably comes to mind is that of white American men such as Steve Jobs, Jeff Bezos, Elon Musk, and coincidentally Zuckerberg. Such men are frequently depicted as the heroic figures of our era, celebrated for their daring risk-taking, accumulation of vast wealth, and ambitious technological projects – ranging from the digitisation of social interactions to the prospect of colonising Mars.
Our GENRE project revealed a stereotypical portrayal and popularised image of the entrepreneur is an enactment of masculinity, which envisions the entrepreneur as white, male and western and stereotypically possessing characteristics such as aggression, independence, risk-taking and competitiveness. Building on the idea that entrepreneurship has been traditionally considered a masculine endeavour, and one undertaken by men, it may come as no surprise that testosterone, a hormone typically associated with male physiology despite being present in both males and females, has been lauded as the ‘entrepreneurial hormone’.
Masculine energy and problematic ‘bro culture’
Industries where women are under-represented often foster environments that have been coined a ‘bro culture’, populated by tech bros. A tech bro typically refers to white, young, assertive and hyper-competitive man. However, this can result in a chilling effect for those that don’t fit the stereotype and this exclusionary attitude in entrepreneurship is referred to as ‘othering’.
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From Business Insider, how Silicon Valley’s sexist ‘bro culture’ affects everyone
Bro culture can reinforce traditional gender roles, resulting in a homogenous environment that often discourages diversity, especially of women and marginalised groups. Furthermore, it can stifle creativity and collaboration through its discouragement of diverse perspectives and approaches. Indeed, the prevalence of the ‘tech bro’ culture has been posited as one of the key reasons why tech industries have struggled with representation and equality.
Women don’t like bro cultures, but our research shows that neither do men
Our recent research investigated the concept of entrepreneurial masculinity within the context of start-up accelerator programmes based on in-depth interviews with accelerator managers and large number of accelerator participants based in four US accelerators. This research found that the accelerator environment enabled traditional masculine behaviours, with many of the male entrepreneurs in our sample exhibiting a sense of entitlement, a tough guy attitude and a Darwinian sense of “survival of the fittest”.
As one of the venture accelerator managers stated, “we want everyone at a certain level. It is meant to be harsh. It reminds me of boot camp, knock them down and build them back up.” Whilst one of the participants felt positively about the criticism, saying, the advisors were “all like drill sergeants…and tough. And that’s good.”
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However, such cultures can alienate not just women but also other men who do not fit into this stereotype. Some men in our sample experienced marginalisation within the accelerator setting because they exhibited nontraditional expressions of masculinity. “The accelerator feels like being on Survivor“, said one African-American participant. “I don’t think the staff would tell you that. They are completely oblivious to the fact that anyone could be having a different experience than Disneyland. It makes you feel awkward when you comment on it because you’re going to disrupt the utopian fantasy.”
Our study emphasises that institutional norms within accelerators can disadvantage male entrepreneurs who deviate from traditional stereotypes. It underscores the need for more inclusive practices that recognise and accommodate diverse expressions of masculinity.
What does this mean for women entrepreneurs?
Women-founded startups account for only 2% or less of VC funding invested in Europe. This is despite a study by Boston Consulting Group showing that women-founded startups attract less venture capital funding than their male counterparts even though they often deliver higher revenue.
If ‘masculine energy’ is over emphasised, it may reinforce traditional gender roles, making workplaces feel less inclusive to women and those who do not conform to stereotypical masculine traits. If a systems thinking approach is taken to the workplace which views an organisation as an interconnected whole where each part influences the others, a more balanced approach is required for sustainable and efficient work environments.
Read more: What’s the impact of women feeling undervalued in the workplace?
As such, all energies and identities are needed and should be welcomed equally. In other words, prioritising assertiveness, competitiveness and risk taking in the system should not be at the expense of inclusivity, emotional intelligence, and collaboration.
Workplaces tend to thrive where there is a natural balance between human connection, empathy, emotional intelligence and professional goals. Indeed, it is important to reflect upon what might be lost when there is not enough room for feminine energy and leadership to emerge and why supporting a broader range of entrepreneurial identities and energies in the workplace is required.
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The views expressed here are those of the author and do not represent or reflect the views of RTÉ
