I’m writing a rather important speech for an executive to give in Washington, D.C. next week about women in innovation and came across this rather alarming piece of research by Madeline Heilman, professor or organizational development at New York University.

The study found that:

• People viewed women in male-type occupations as less competent than men, unless there is concrete, visible performance information to prove otherwise.
• When evidence showed that the women were as successful and competent as the men, they faced another challenge: people said the women were unlikable. People like men more than women in male-dominated fields like engineering.
• Both competence and likability play a role in workplace success and career advancement. So women in science and technology fields have a double whammy to overcome: prove they know their stuff and overcome biases that they are cold, pushy, unfeeling and generally unlikable.

Other research has found that women in the STEM fields (science, technology, engineering, math) drop out of their fields mid-career, about 10 years into it. No wonder, with such ingrained biases among both men and women. Who wants to get up and go to work in that environment?

Heilman’s research also found that when people were told that the woman demonstrated “communal” behavior, e.g.,  she encourages cooperation and fosters a sense of belonging for her employees, people began liking her.  Similarly if people learned the woman was a mother, they liked her more.

Women have made progress, but not enough. The guys may have unfounded biases about women in these male-dominated fields, but we working women should know better, and be open and supportive of women who are still breaking the glass ceiling and lab walls.