A leader is someone who inspires and leads other people. Leader’s gender is not important to Russians.
MOSCOW, November 26, 2019. Russian Public Opinion Research Centre (VCIOM) presents the data of a survey devoted to the phenomenon of leadership and a social portrait of female leaders.
A leader, as viewed by Russians, is someone who can inspire other people and lead the way (62%) – this is how most of women define leaders (70%). According to half of respondents, a leader should also be able to build a team (53%); he/she is well respected by colleagues (35%), has achieved high professional levels (32%) and can influence the decision-making process at work (22%).
More than half of Russians consider that leadership aptitude is not dependent on gender (58%). One-third of respondents think that men are more likely to be leaders (32%); this is because it is common (7%) and also because of their strong character (6%). On the contrary, every tenth respondent considers that women are more likely to have a penchant for leadership (8%), as they pay attention to every detail (1%), are more responsible (1%) and can lead men (1%).
Russians perceive female leadership neutrally or positively (49% and 47% respectively). At the same time, those who have more positive views are mainly women (58%) and residents of settlements with less than 50 thousand inhabitants (55%), urban-type localities and rural area (51%). Only 4% of respondents perceive negatively female leadership.
According to one quarter of Russians (25%), there are spheres where leaders should be female: in particular, the humanities and education (6%), health care (5%), child’s upbringing and pre-school education (3%), fashion and beauty sphere (2%). Besides that, every fifth respondent thinks that the number of men and the number of women should be equal in all spheres (19%); every second considers that the gender does not matter (47%).
The major factors helping women with a professional experience be a leader are their personal qualities (45%), desire and personal interest (37% of Russians in general and 42% women) and support of people around (25%).
The main factor restricting female career is a lack of desire or interest (36%). Forty percent of women and 31% of men think so. Other barriers are a lack of leadership qualities (35%) and family duties (31%).
Most of Russians believe that the distribution of duties should be equal between men and women (71% of Russians in general; 77% of women; 80% of metropolitan residents; 75% of respondents living in localities with less than 50 thousand inhabitants). Nineteen percent say that household chores are a female duty: mainly men (21%) and residents of cities with 50-100 thousand inhabitants (28%). Six percent of respondents say that the household chores are a male responsibility: mainly male respondents think so (9%).
Eighty-two percent of Russians are in favor of equal participation in child’s upbringing; they are mainly women (85%), metropolitan residents (85%) and residents of cities with 500-950 thousand inhabitants (85%). Thirteen percent of respondents are confident that child-rearing is a female duty, 4% regard it as a men’s duty.
Fifty-nine percent of respondents see financial provision as men’s responsibility: those who think so are basically men themselves (66%). This stance is also supported by residents of cities with 500-950 thousand inhabitants (66%). Thirty-six percent of respondents say this duty should be equally distributed between men and women: they are women (43%), metropolitan residents (52%) and people living in the million cites (41%).
Nationwide VCIOM-Sputnik survey was conducted on September 9-12, 2019 in the framework of the study carried out by the working group of the Committee on Female Leadership of the Association of Managers and supported by KFC Russia, Mastercard, PepsiCo, and VTB Capital. The survey involved 1,600 Russians aged 18-60. The survey was telephone-based and carried out using stratified dual-frame random sample based on a complete list of landline and mobile phone numbers operating in Russia. The data were weighted according to selection probability and social and demographic characteristics. The margin of error at a 95% confidence level does not exceed 2.5%. In addition to sampling error, minor changes in question wording and different circumstances arising during the fieldwork can introduce bias into the survey.
Let us talk about professional leadership. Choose one to five definitions of a leader in a certain professional sphere. A leader is someone who… (closed-ended question, up to five answers, % of total respondents) | |||
| Total respondents | Men | Women |
Can inspire other people, lead people | 62 | 52 | 70 |
Can build a team | 53 | 50 | 57 |
Is respected among colleagues | 35 | 34 | 35 |
Has achieved high levels of professionalism | 32 | 32 | 32 |
Influences the decision-making process at work | 22 | 21 | 22 |
Runs his/her own business, is self-employed | 16 | 17 | 15 |
Is a famous professional in his/her sector | 14 | 16 | 13 |
Holds a leading position | 11 | 11 | 11 |
Has a high salary | 3 | 3 | 3 |
Other | 5 | 6 | 4 |
Don’ t know | 1 | 1 | 1 |
In your opinion, who are more likely to have a penchant for leadership - men or women? | |
| Total respondents |
Gender does not matter | 58 |
Men | 32 |
Women | 8 |
Don’ t know | 2 |
In your opinion, who are more likely to have a penchant for leadership - men or women? And why? | |
| Total respondents |
Men because: it is common/ patriarchal society | 7 |
Men because: they have a strong character | 6 |
Men because: they are career-oriented/ leadership qualities | 4 |
Men because: they are logical/ smart | 2 |
Men because: they are free/ fewer household chores | 2 |
Men because: they are the head in the family/ breadwinner | 2 |
Men because: they are unemotional / reserved/ sensible | 2 |
Men because: other | 1 |
Men because: they are persistent/ assertive / fast-paced / single-minded | 1 |
Men because: because they are men! | 1 |
Men because: more responsible/ organized | 1 |
Men because: aggressive/ more determined/ serious | 1 |
In your opinion, who are more likely to have a penchant for leadership - men or women? And why? | |
| Total respondents |
Women because: they can easily find an approach/ they are attentive | 1 |
Women because: They are meant to lead men because of their nature / they can go through all the trials and tribulations / women everywhere | 1 |
Women because: single-minded | 1 |
Women because: more responsible | 1 |
Women because: other | 1 |
How do you personally perceive the situation when women become leaders? (closed-ended question, one answer, % of total respondents) | |||
| Total respondents | Men | Women |
Positively | 47 | 36 | 58 |
Negatively | 4 | 4 | 3 |
Neutrally | 49 | 59 | 39 |
Don’ t know | 0 | 1 | 0 |
How do you personally perceive the situation when women become leaders? (closed-ended question, one answer, % of total respondents) | |||||||
| Total respondents | Moscow and St Petersburg | Million cities | 500-950 thousand inhabitants | 100—500 thousand inhabitants | Less than 100 thousand inhabitants | Rural area |
Positively | 47 | 44 | 45 | 44 | 44 | 43 | 55 |
Negatively | 4 | 53 | 51 | 52 | 51 | 52 | 42 |
Neutrally | 49 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 3 |
Don’ t know | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
In your opinion, how should the family duties be distributed in the following spheres? Household chores (closed-ended question, one answer, % of total respondents) | ||||||||
| Total respondents | Moscow and St Petersburg | Million cities | 500-950 thousand inhabitants | 100—500 thousand inhabitants | 50-100 thousand inhabitants | Less than 50 thousand inhabitants | Urban-type settlement and rural area |
Positively | 47 | 44 | 45 | 44 | 44 | 43 | 55 | 51 |
Negatively | 4 | 53 | 51 | 52 | 51 | 52 | 42 | 44 |
Neutrally | 49 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 4 |
Don’ t know | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
In your opinion, are there industries where leaders should be female rather than male, or not? (semi-closed question, one answer, % of total respondents) | |
| Total respondents |
There are industries/spheres where leaders should be female | 25 |
There are no industries/spheres where leaders should be female | 3 |
The number of female and the number of male leaders should be equal everywhere | 19 |
Gender does not matter | 47 |
Don’ t know | 6 |
In your opinion, are there industries where leaders should be female rather than male, or not? (semi-closed question, one answer, % of total respondents, answers of at least 1% of respondents) | |
| Total respondents |
Education/ the humanities | 6 |
Health care | 5 |
Child-rearing/ educator, director of kindergarten/ orphanage | 3 |
Beauty / fashion (designer, hairdresser, beauty expert) | 2 |
Commerce | 1 |
Social sphere | 1 |
Cooking | 1 |
Culture | 1 |
In your opinion, what helps a woman with sufficient professional experience become a leader? (closed-ended question, not more than 2 answers, % of total respondents) | |||
| Total respondents | Men | Women |
Personal traits | 45 | 45 | 44 |
Desire, personal interest | 37 | 30 | 42 |
Support of people around | 25 | 25 | 25 |
Approval by the employer | 20 | 17 | 22 |
Position among colleagues | 18 | 18 | 18 |
Absence of family, children | 11 | 10 | 12 |
Other | 8 | 8 | 7 |
Don’t know | 2 | 3 | 1 |
In your opinion, what is the reason why a woman with sufficient professional experience fails to become a leader? (closed-ended question, not more than 2 answers, % of total respondents) | |||
| Total respondents | Men | Women |
Lack of desire, interest | 36 | 31 | 40 |
Absence of leadership qualities | 35 | 32 | 37 |
Family duties | 31 | 29 | 33 |
Barriers made by employer | 26 | 25 | 27 |
Opinion of people around, stereotypes | 15 | 17 | 14 |
Other | 6 | 7 | 5 |
Don’ t know | 4 | 6 | 2 |
In your opinion, how should the family duties be distributed in the following spheres? Household chores (closed-ended question, one answer, % of total respondents) | |||
| Total respondents | Men | Women |
More duties on women | 19 | 21 | 17 |
Equal distribution of duties | 71 | 64 | 77 |
More duties on men | 6 | 9 | 3 |
Don’ t know | 4 | 6 | 3 |
In your opinion, how should the family duties be distributed in the following spheres? Child-rearing (closed-ended question, one answer, % of total respondents) | |||
| Total respondents | Men | Women |
More duties on women | 13 | 15 | 12 |
Equal distribution of duties | 82 | 78 | 85 |
More duties on men | 4 | 5 | 2 |
Don’ t know | 1 | 2 | 1 |
In your opinion, how should the family duties be distributed in the following spheres? Financial provision (closed-ended question, one answer, % of total respondents) | |||
| Total respondents | Men | Women |
More duties on women | 2 | 1 | 2 |
Equal distribution of duties | 36 | 28 | 43 |
More duties on men | 59 | 66 | 52 |
Don’ t know | 3 | 5 | 3 |
In your opinion, how should the family duties be distributed in the following spheres? Household chores (closed-ended question, one answer, % of total respondents) | ||||||||
| Total respondents | Moscow and St Petersburg | Million cities | 500-950 thousand inhabitants | 100—500 thousand inhabitants | 50-100 thousand inhabitants | Less than 50 thousand inhabitants | Urban-type settlement and rural area |
More duties on women | 19 | 8 | 17 | 21 | 19 | 28 | 17 | 21 |
Equal distribution of duties | 71 | 80 | 71 | 73 | 71 | 59 | 75 | 68 |
More duties on men | 6 | 5 | 6 | 2 | 4 | 7 | 6 | 8 |
Don’ t know | 4 | 7 | 6 | 4 | 6 | 6 | 2 | 3 |
In your opinion, how should the family duties be distributed in the following spheres? Child-rearing (closed-ended question, one answer, % of total respondents) | ||||||||
| Total respondents | Moscow and St Petersburg | Million cities | 500-950 thousand inhabitants | 100—500 thousand inhabitants | 50-100 thousand inhabitants | Less than 50 thousand inhabitants | Urban-type settlement and rural area |
More duties on women | 13 | 9 | 12 | 11 | 14 | 16 | 15 | 15 |
Equal distribution of duties | 82 | 85 | 81 | 85 | 81 | 78 | 80 | 81 |
More duties on men | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 5 | 3 | 3 |
Don’ t know | 1 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 |
In your opinion, how should the family duties be distributed in the following spheres? Financial provision (closed-ended question, one answer, % of total respondents) | ||||||||
| Total respondents | Moscow and St Petersburg | Million cities | 500-950 thousand inhabitants | 100—500 thousand inhabitants | 50-100 thousand inhabitants | Less than 50 thousand inhabitants | Urban-type settlement and rural area |
More duties on women | 2 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 3 |
Equal distribution of duties | 36 | 52 | 41 | 36 | 32 | 28 | 35 | 31 |
More duties on men | 59 | 41 | 55 | 58 | 63 | 66 | 63 | 62 |
Don’ t know | 3 | 7 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 4 |
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