Passion is often seen as a sign of leadership potential. However, a new study from UCLA found that it does not benefit men and women equally. Gender stereotypes shape how passion is judged, helping men while holding women back.
Managers often look for passion when assessing leadership potential. But, as the researchers point out, these judgments are not neutral. “Gender biases distort how passion is perceived,” they write. “This double standard makes it harder for women to advance and reinforces workplace inequality.”
Unfair perceptions
The study finds that men are 20–30% more likely than women to be labeled as “high-potential” employees—a status that speeds up promotion—even when their passion and performance are the same. The results suggest that gender stereotypes still play a role in leadership decisions, making it harder to build diverse teams.
The bias follows a familiar pattern. When men show passion for their work, they are seen as dedicated and hardworking—qualities that strengthen their leadership prospects. When women show the same passion, they are more likely to be seen as emotional, making them less likely to be promoted.
“Men, especially those who perform well but not exceptionally, were rewarded for their passion because it made them seem more committed,” the researchers explain. “Women, on the other hand, faced doubts about their professionalism.”
Reinforcing inequality
Using data from a large engineering firm and experiments with over 2,100 people, the study shows how subjective measures like passion can reinforce gender inequality, even in companies that strive for fairness.
To fix this, the researchers suggest that companies:
- Focus on objective performance measures.
- Train managers to recognize and reduce bias.
- Anonymize parts of the evaluation process to make it fairer.
Passion may be a valuable trait, but it should be judged by the same standard for everyone.
