By Todd Myers
As Communications Director for the Seattle Storm of the Women's NBA, I was preparing to announce the hiring of our first coach who happened to be a woman. Offhandedly I commented to the team's General Manager that I thought the players would be happy that we hired a woman. Her answer surprised me.
No, she said. Most women would prefer a male coach. It was an unexpected answer, but one that I have learned is accurate.
A recent Lifetime Women's Pulse Poll puts the issue more starkly. Of 800 women surveyed, young women preferred a male boss by a margin of 47-31 percent and baby boomers chose men 43-28.
These hold a lesson that every man running against a woman should remember: male candidates can have advantages, as well as disadvantages, when running against women.
Ever since the “Year of the Woman” in 1992, some have argued that women have an advantage when running against men, pointing to statistics that show women winning a higher percentage of the races they enter. The reality is that women tend not to run if they don't have many pieces in place, whereas a marginal male candidate will still charge right in – dragging the overall male winning percentage down.
Even when running against a woman, a male candidate can effectively attract votes from men and women.
Obviously, the story is not all positive. Running against a woman is different than running against a man. When two alpha-males rev their engines during a tough campaign, the personality contrasts will play a smaller role in a voter's decision. On the other hand the contrasts between a man and a women, in personality, résumé and many other ways will seem more stark and will provide an important context for the overall decision a voter has to make.
Follow some simple rules, however, and men can run and win against a woman. Many of these rules should be followed regardless of your opponent's gender.
Don't Be a Guy
When running against other men, candidates are more comfortable making biting jokes and being a little more rough-and-tumble. Those behaviors are much more likely to come across as patronizing when directed at women.
Make sure you take your opponent seriously. This is wise advice in any race, but especially important when running against a woman. An attitude of condescension will be noticed immediately. Jokes can inadvertently strike this tone. If jokes make it seem as if you are not taking your opponent or the race seriously, it may come across as disrespectful.
I believe that humor, or at least good humor (not the ice cream), is all too infrequent in political campaigns. It is much more important, however, to be sincere than funny. If you must make a joke, make sure it is self-deprecating. It is endearing and will actually contribute to the perception that you see your opponent as an equal.
Also make sure your body language is appropriate. An interested, engaged attitude is always important. Body language that says you are uninterested or dismissive will be put in the context of the gender difference rather than the political difference by many and can be perceived as sexist.
I don't mean to say “don't be a man.” As the above poll shows, women do recognize positive traits in men and even instances where they prefer male characteristics. Being tough, decisive and direct are positives. Being callous, dismissive and arrogant are especially unattractive when set in contrast to a woman opponent.
Nothing is more aggravating than an arrogant man who doesn't listen. You may need to work overtime to make sure this isn't the message you send.
Don't Target the “Woman” Vote
More precisely, don't try to appeal to the stereotypical “woman.” This involves several things.
First, going after the “woman” vote is a misnomer that is both simplistic and condescending.
If a man came to me and said “how can I win the votes of men,” I would be a little befuddled. Men are, obviously, not a homogenous voting block and I would have to follow up with many other questions about the political views of the district, the economic status of the community, whether the main businesses in the community were software related or agricultural, and other such questions. These would be the key factors, not the fact that the voters happened to be men.
There are certainly some common themes with men – they tend to be tougher on crime and terrorism and are very motivated by economic issues and taxes. Focusing on the “male” vote, however, is likely to lead in no particular direction and can have unpredictable results. This is not a new concept to men.
Sometimes, however, men tend to believe that women can and should be treated more as a group. We are sometimes even encouraged to think this. There are many women who argue that they should stick together because they believe that gender binds them more than party affiliation divides them.
Don't believe it. If you assume this group identity argument is true, you will likely alienate women voters who might otherwise support you.
In their book “What Women Want,” pollsters Celinda Lake and Kellyanne Conway identify eight archetypes they say show that “women come from diverse experiences and points of view, even when they share many common goals.” Treating a “religious crusader” and an “alienated single” alike because they are both women is about as smart as treating an ex-jock the same as a computer geek.
Next, don't cry or over-emote in the hope that a show of “sensitivity” will appeal to women. Even women who don't see through that behavior are as likely to be turned off as attracted by it. You will also probably alienate more male votes than you might gain from women.
When it comes to politics, women want to hear how you will help them live their life. While relationships are important to women in their personal life, few are looking to politics to fill an emotional need.
Lake and Conway note that women are looking for “practical applications that make their lives better.” Be clear and specific. Tell women voters how your positions will help reduce the obstacles in their life so they can return to the things that are truly meaningful to them.
Be Yourself
Trying to be someone you are not is never a good idea in a campaign. Unless you are an actor, trying to pretend you are something you are not is likely to be a train wreck. When running against a woman the temptation to modify your personality or message is, however, greater than normal. Contrasts create tension and there is likely to be a desire to reduce that tension.
Trying to change who you are is a sure way to a quick and ugly defeat. Running against a woman doesn't mean that you should change who you are any more than you would if you were running against a man.
Talking about issues you don't truly care about is more likely to hurt than help. Sincerity is extremely important to voters. Sincerity is also difficult to fake. If you don't support free childcare for everyone, don't pretend you do simply because it polls well and you think you need it to seem more sympathetic against a woman who is strong on children's issues.
Explain your position clearly and stick with it. Your passion and sincerity about another issue, even if it polls less well, will speak volumes and be much more effective than forced interest in an issue that doesn't really fit you.
Don't Go Wobbly
Finally, you need to understand that while running against a woman is different, it doesn't mean men are at a disadvantage or can't run an effective campaign. It doesn't even mean that you can't attack your opponent.
Nobody shied away from attacking Margaret Thatcher and she never shied away from a fight.
Any attacks should be fair but firm. You can also have the attack come from one of your female supporters if you want to avoid the potential of being perceived as sexist. Don't be afraid to make a strong point, however. Voters, and especially women voters, are willing to hold women accountable for their positions. You shouldn't be afraid to either.
In fact, it is likely that your opponent will be doing what she can to show how tough she is. She will likely understand that many women are perceived as weak and so women candidates often play up their tough side. If you make a fair attack against your opponent and she crumbles, it is more likely to reflect badly on her than you.
If, however, the attack is belittling or appears to treat your opponent like a “little lady,” you are asking for trouble.
Run and Win
There is no question that running against a woman requires that you make some adjustments in the same way you would adjust if you opponent were a millionaire, had served in the military or anything else. It doesn't mean that the race needs to be an uphill battle or that you should change who you are.
Be conscientious about the differences and follow some simple rules and you can run and win.
Todd Myers runs a Seattle PR firm with communications experience
that includes political campaigns, sports, health care and
environmental policy. He can be reached at Click here to contact this Author
