Heidi vs. Howard: The Same Case, Two Very Different Perspectives

In this series, we’ve been exploring how culture, values, and biases impact the way we work and lead in diverse teams. In previous posts, we discussed ethnocentrism, culture shock, cultural contexts, and Hofstede’s dimensions.

Heidi vs. Howard

Today, I want to share a study that has become iconic for understanding how gender stereotypes influence our professional perceptions: the Heidi vs. Howard case.

The Experiment

The Heidi vs. Howard experiment was conducted by Frank Flynn, a professor at Columbia Business School. Flynn took a real-life biography of Heidi Roizen, a successful venture capitalist in Silicon Valley, and used it as a case study for his MBA class. But he made a small change: he gave half the group the case with the original name, and the other half the same case, but with the name changed to “Howard.”

The results were striking: although the students considered Heidi and Howard to be equally competent, Howard was perceived as more likable and a leader they would want to work with. In contrast, Heidi was perceived as more self-centered, less likable, and more interested in her own success.

The Dilemma Between Success and Likeability

This experiment confirms what many studies have already shown: success and likability are positively correlated for men, but negatively correlated for women. In other words, when a man is successful, he is usually also highly regarded as a person. When a woman is successful, she may be met with rejection.

This stems from stereotypical expectations regarding gender roles. By focusing on her career, being strategic, and seeking to increase her influence, Heidi broke with what is culturally “expected” of a woman. And that is why she was judged more harshly.

This dilemma poses a major challenge for women in the professional sphere: to achieve success, it is often necessary to display behaviors such as assertiveness, rigor, and self-confidence, but these same behaviors can be perceived as “aggressive” or “selfish” when they come from a woman.

That is why it is so important to raise awareness—among both men and women—about these biases. Only then can we challenge them and build fairer spaces where everyone has equal opportunities to grow and lead.

The Jennifer and John Effect

For those who wish to delve deeper into this topic, I suggest reading about the Jennifer and John Effect, another experiment conducted by Yale University in 2012.

In this experiment, qualified faculty members from the science departments (physics, chemistry, and biology) at six U.S. research universities were asked to evaluate an application submitted by a fictional male student, John, or a fictional female student, Jennifer, for the position of lab manager in their respective departments. One of the unique aspects of the experiment was that the application materials being evaluated were identical, differing only in the applicant’s name and gender.

The results were surprising: Jennifer was rated significantly lower than John on all three evaluated criteria (competence, employability, and mentoring ability). Furthermore, it was determined that Jennifer would receive lower compensation: $26,508 compared to the $30,238 assigned to John, representing a difference of more than 10% that was statistically significant. The main reason for this disparity was that John was perceived as more competent than Jennifer, which made him more “hireable.”

Why is it important for us to be aware of these studies?

In multicultural and diverse environments, I believe that being mindful of our unconscious biases is key to creating more equitable spaces. These studies show us how, even in high-level academic or professional settings, our judgments can be deeply influenced by gender stereotypes.

Understanding these dynamics helps us:

• Examine our own perceptions and decisions.

• Design fairer processes for recruitment, promotion, and leadership.

• Foster conversations within teams about equity, inclusion, and organizational culture.

Final Thoughts

Recognizing that we all have biases—and that they influence our decisions—is the first step toward overcoming them. It’s not about blaming ourselves, but about being more aware and intentional in how we lead, collaborate, and build workplaces where everyone can thrive authentically.

See you next time!

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