Women don't really need to lower their voices to be taken seriously, says University of Kansas study

Elizabeth Holmes was infamously suspected of lowering her dependable to beryllium taken much earnestly successful a male-dominated Silicon Valley. Turns out, that was wholly unnecessary, a caller study suggests.

The study, conducted by Kansas University School of Business lecturer Midam Kim, asked participants to comparison abbreviated code samples of 12 existent and erstwhile CEOs including Jeff Bezos, Tim Cook, Mary Barra and Ginni Rometty.

The CEOs' names and companies were not disclosed to the study's astir 200 antheral and pistillate participants, which included individuals from some the U.S. and different countries.

Kim manipulated each CEO's illustration to make low-, middle- and high-pitched versions. Participants listened to each 3 transportation levels for each CEO and picked the astir "trustworthy" sounding sample, she tells CNBC Make It. 

The result: Lower antheral voices were perceived arsenic much trustworthy, but little pistillate voices saw nary important change. "For antheral leaders, the signifier was reconfirmed ... but for pistillate leaders, that signifier was overmuch weaker," Kim says. "People bash not attraction excessively overmuch astir a pistillate CEO having a little voice." 

The study, which has not yet been published successful a journal, challenges a communal uncovering crossed a plethora of older studies that radical consistently comprehend little voices arsenic much susceptible of leading. The crushed that it's not really true for women, she says, has to bash with differing enactment expectations.

People thin to expect "dominant leadership" from men and "communal leadership" from women, Kim says. In different words, effectual antheral leaders are often associated with characteristics similar being assertive, controlling, assertive and self-confident, portion large women leaders are much associated with caring astir others and being helpful, benignant and sympathetic.

A debased dependable is an "auditory cue" for dominance, and radical don't thin to expect that trait successful women since it's not a motion of communal leadership, Kim says.

"If a little voice, which is simply a ascendant skill, is coming from a pistillate figure, past that is violating people's expectations of pistillate leaders," she adds.

Kim besides asked the study's participants to complaint the CEO dependable samples by competence and integrity. Female participants said a debased dependable helped pistillate CEOs look much competent, but didn't bash thing to marque them look similar they had much integrity.

The findings don't needfully mean a debased dependable volition wounded pistillate leaders, particularly if that's your earthy pitch, Kim says: You conscionable "might not person to little your dependable intentionally" to dependable similar a amended leader.

Sign up now: Get smarter astir your wealth and vocation with our play newsletter

Don't miss:

Harvard expert: The 5 types of bosses you ne'er privation to enactment for—or become

There are 7 types of bosses, says workplace civilization expert—only 1 is worthy moving for, oregon trying to become