From the 1970s Barbie was given career options: surgeon in 1972, astronaut in 1965 and by 1992 she was running for president. But have women today had the same plastic fantastic road to success?

Years ago I was working in a senior sales role, overseas, for a global business. When I walked into the meeting room for our annual sales strategy you could have heard a pin drop. I was young, and foreign, but I don’t believe it was either of these elements that caused the unease. In a room filled with men, I firmly believe the real issue was that I was female.

That was over 20 years ago but I still hear tales in the classroom, from the women we teach, of the challenges they face in dealing with gender stereotypes. I hear comments like “I get talked down to, told I’m too nice, too emotional” and occasionally “they won’t even talk business with me when my male colleague is around”. Thankfully this "time machine" of attitude from the 1950s is not as common now, but I still hear it and it still exists.

Gender stereotypes can create significant challenges for us as female negotiators, often hindering our ability to be seen as effective, or equally effective as our male counterparts.

Firstly, I think it’s important that we recognise these stereotypes for what they are. These social constructs, ingrained through decades of conditioning are no true measure of our abilities. By challenging them, within ourselves and in the workplace, we can assert our competence and take control of our own narrative.

One of the most common stereotypes is that women are less assertive than men. I can't tell you how many times I've heard the phrase "she's too nice". But here's the thing: being nice is not a weakness. It can be a strength when combined with assertiveness. If nice is another word for collaborative then for a negotiator, that can, frankly, be turned into a superpower. Collaborative negotiators, with excellent communication and empathy skills, are more likely to really listen to the other party. This enables us to get a genuine understanding of the other party’s objectives as well as picking up nuances of language that might suggest areas of flexibility. Once gathered, that information can be turned into an effective proposal and a deal that works for both parties.

Another stereotype we face is the idea that women are too emotional to be effective negotiators ... back to that time machine! Effective preparation with clarity of objectives enables focus in the negotiation as well as building confidence.

There is also the challenge that we sometimes face as women, where internalised stereotypes can lead us to self-doubt and undermine our confidence in our own abilities. We can cultivate self-confidence by seeking constructive feedback, setting achievable goals and celebrating our successes.

And finally, let's not forget that negotiating as a woman is not just an individual challenge, but a systemic one as well. By advocating for change, we can break free from these outdated stereotypes and create a (Barbie) world where negotiation skill and expertise is valued, regardless of gender.

Ann Allfrey, Senior Consultant at Scotwork UK