The authority gap at work is real, and it is high time we talk about it.
A very common microaggression women face in professional settings is being interrupted or spoken over. The McKinsey & Company Women in the Workplace 2024 report highlights that in 2019, 50% of women reported being interrupted or spoken over. That number dropped to 29% in 2021 and further declined to 22% in 2023. However, in 2024, the percentage rose again to 39%.
In an ideal workplace, men and women would have equal opportunities to express their views. However, data suggests otherwise. Women are 33% more likely to be interrupted than men and 20% less likely to receive credit for their contributions. Additionally, they are four times as likely to be questioned, corrected, or dismissed, leading many to hesitate before speaking. As a result, women are 2.5 times less likely to voice their thoughts.
Interruptions and the authority gap at work
A study by Perceptyx, which surveyed over 1,500 working women, found that meetings create an environment where sexist behaviours often occur. Women report being interrupted, talked over, or asked to take notes (tasks unrelated to their actual roles) more often than their male colleagues. Among those surveyed, 19% report frequent interruptions or being talked over in meetings, while 42% say it happens at least sometimes.
The biased gender dynamics in communication are ultimately causing an authority gap. When women struggle to be heard, their ideas receive less recognition, their expertise is questioned more often, and their leadership potential faces greater scrutiny. If this authority gap remains, workplaces will keep viewing men as the default choice for credibility, influence, and leadership.
In The Authority Gap, author Mary Ann Sieghart says society takes men more seriously by default. People assume men know what they’re talking about until proven otherwise, while women must prove their competence before earning the same respect. This constant scepticism leads to more interruptions, dismissals, and roadblocks for women trying to establish authority.
What happens when women take a stand?
There is a deep-rooted bias that leadership should fit a particular mould. People associate leadership with qualities they view as masculine, such as assertiveness, confidence, and control. On the other hand, many still expect women to be agreeable, warm, and accommodating, even in professional settings. When women stop letting others interrupt them and decide to take a stand, they get labelled as “bossy,” “difficult,” or “too aggressive.”
Nearly 32% of women leaders received comments to adjust their tone, and 47% were labelled as being aggressive. A 2023 study by LeanIn.org found that roughly half of women leaders heard themselves labelled as “intimidating” or “bossy” when expressing strong opinions. Meanwhile, only 23% of male leaders reported the same experiences.
Women in leadership constantly face this double standard. If they assert themselves too much, colleagues may see them as overbearing, difficult, or even unlikable. But if they soften their approach, they risk being dismissed or ignored altogether.
Selective deafness silences women in meetings
While 43% of men in leadership roles feel valued for their input, only 26% of women share that experience. This disparity isn’t due to poor performance by women in leadership. In fact, companies with more women in leadership roles are 25% more likely to achieve superior financial performance than those with fewer women at the top. So, if their impact is undeniable, why do we still interrupt them more than men? Why do their voices carry less weight in meetings?
Women don’t just face interruptions in meetings. They also deal with selective deafness. They can share an idea, only for the conversation to roll on as if they never spoke. But then, a male colleague repeats the same point, slightly reworded, and suddenly, it is a brilliant idea worth discussing.
From an early age, people learn that “men say important things” while “women’s words carry gossip.” Even women, conditioned by the same societal norms, may find themselves subconsciously giving more credibility to male voices. It is not that women are not making valuable contributions; it is that the room simply is not wired to listen.
Women deserve to be heard, not because they are women, but because they are individuals with ideas and expertise. Moreover, they have the same right to contribute as anyone else. Respect should not be conditional on gender.
The final thoughts on the authority gap at work
The first step in closing the authority gap is recognising that it exists. Many people don’t realise how their everyday actions make the problem worse. They may not mean to dismiss women, but small habits, like interrupting them more, ignoring their ideas, or paying less attention when they speak, add up over time.
Changing this behavior takes effort. Like breaking any habit, it gets easier the more you practice. Pay attention to how you interact in meetings. Do you interrupt women more than men? Do you tune out when a woman speaks but engage when a man says the same thing?
The goal is not to give women special treatment. It is to make sure leadership and authority are not judged by gender but by actual contributions.
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are based on the writer’s insights, supported by data and resources available both online and offline, as applicable. Changeincontent.com is committed to promoting inclusivity across all forms of content. We broadly define inclusivity as media, policies, law, and history—encompassing all elements that influence the lives of women and marginalised individuals. Our goal is to promote understanding and advocate for comprehensive inclusivity.
