The 2024 election between Donald Trump and Kamala Harris is extremely close. With House, Senate and gubernatorial elections at stake, each party could gain considerable influence over the nation’s laws and policies.

The political and legal ramifications of this election will depend on how much power each party gains in the branches of government. But whoever wins, the professional landscape for women leaders will change.

Here’s what women leaders can expect in the coming months and what strategies can help them stay resilient and focused on their careers.

Women’s victories in 2024 elections could unlock seats on corporate boards

When women win elections, it sends a message about society’s attitudes toward women in leadership positions. These victories can help convince boards that society as a whole views women as legitimate leaders. In turn, changing social norms encourage companies to include more women on their boards.

Electoral successes of non-incumbent women over men have pushed major U.S. companies headquartered in corresponding ZIP codes to add more women to their boards, according to a report. analysis of 365 House, Senate and gubernatorial elections between 2004 and 2016. The researchers, professors at Rutgers University and Bucknell University, published their findings last year on the Science Research Network social.

Women’s electoral victories translated into even greater boardroom gains when they generated high voter turnout and received substantial media coverage, the researchers found. Gains were also greater when board decision-makers lived locally, allowing them to see first-hand the enthusiasm for women’s leadership.

A significant number of women will certainly be elected in November. Women make up 27% of candidates for the House of Representatives, 23% of candidates for the Senate and 20% of candidates for governor, according to Rutgers. Center for American women and politics.

In places where women are expected to win, we can expect an increase in women’s representation on corporate boards as companies respond to these societal signals, particularly in races where voter turnout and Media attention was particularly high.

Beliefs about the glass ceiling could change

Obama’s election to the White House led many to believe that the United States had entered a post-racial a time when Americans would increasingly pass raceless judgments on their leaders. Could the outcome of the 2024 election change our perception of the corporate glass ceiling?

A Harris victory could break down gender and racial barriers, boosting optimism among women, particularly women of color, about their careers and leadership opportunities. On the other hand, a Trump victory could reinforce pessimism that gender and racial gaps in senior management will soon disappear.

After Clinton’s defeat in the 2016 election, many Americans concluded that the world was not yet quite ready to welcome women into corporate leadership positions, even if they remained personally committed to the ideals and attitudes of gender equity. This is what researchers from the University of Queensland, concluded their survey of 165 US residents 12 days before the 2016 election and another 159 people 2 days after Clinton’s defeat. Over the course of two weeks, participants’ evaluations of women applying for management positions dropped significantly, while evaluations of male candidates did not change. A replication of the study in an experimental laboratory yielded similar results.

The outcome of the 2024 elections will undoubtedly affect perceptions of women’s progress in leadership. A Harris victory could inspire women to pursue leadership roles with renewed confidence that racial and gender barriers are finally breaking down. On the other hand, a Trump victory could make some women more hesitant about their chances of advancing in predominantly male and majority-white spaces, reinforcing concerns about persistent gender and racial inequalities.

Sexism and verbal aggression likely to increase

Women business leaders can expect to be the target of more aggressive and uncooperative communications from some men. Indeed, whoever wins, the election will most likely amplify the undercurrents of sexism and racism that began in the aftermath of the 2016 election.

In negotiations with women, men began adopting more confrontational strategies after the 2016 election, according to the Wharton Business School. teachers who conducted pre- and post-election simulations with students at the University of Pennsylvania. They found a 17.2 percentage point increase in the likelihood that men would use harsh tactics against women during negotiations.

Similarly, while more blatant forms of sexual harassment have declined since 2016, gender-based harassment became more prevalent in 2018, suggesting that leadership changes can influence workplace dynamics in more subtle but all-encompassing ways. also damaging. In 2018, women reported more suggestive stories, offensive jokes, crude sexual remarks and sexist comments than in 2016.

Women in the highest positions of power in their organizations and women business owners experienced the greatest increase in harassment, according to researchers at the Leeds School of Business and the University of Colorado Boulder, which surveyed women working full-time in 2016 and again in 2018.

A Trump victory would likely worsen sexist attitudes, as electing a leader with openly hostile sexist views appears to deepen already held ideological positions and associated behaviors, particularly among men, research shows .

In a US-based facility studyRepublican men adopted more traditional masculine ideals after the election, such as avoiding anything considered feminine, suppressing emotions, prioritizing work, and taking risks. In contrast, liberal-leaning men became more likely to object to everyday sexist comments. Research of Spain echoed these findings, linking the rise of sexist attitudes and support for far-right parties to react against feminist mobilization efforts.

At the same time, a Harris victory may not eliminate all sexist or aggressive communication toward women leaders, largely because of the growing ideological divide between men, where Republicans and Democrats diverge significantly. The quality of interactions with liberal men may remain stable under a Harris presidency, but the presence of a woman in the highest office could provoke considerable backlash from conservative men. These problems These issues are likely to be compounded for Black and Latina women who face gendered but racialized stereotypes in professional settings.

As I documented in a previous Forbes columnmen who feel more powerless view women as less legitimate candidates for leadership positions, offer to pay them less, and demonstrate greater tolerance for discrimination and gender inequality.

Post-election Strategies to keep moving forward

As the political landscape evolves, here are three strategies to build on your momentum, stay focused, and demonstrate resilience in your leadership journey.

Capitalizing on local election victories

Stay informed about high-profile races in your area, especially those with female candidates. When women succeed in occupying visible roles, it demonstrates broader social support for women’s leadership. Consider making yourself known in community and professional spaces to take advantage of this dynamic.

Prepare for biased interactions

Prepare strategies to manage more aggressive and sexist communication from certain colleagues. Practicing responses to harsh tactics can keep interactions professional and focused, helping to redirect difficult conversations. Find support and learn how to be an ally by joining a mentoring group for women of color in leadership or LGBTQ+ women in business.

Stay focused on long-term goals

Whatever the outcome of the election, don’t let it derail your ambitions. Continue to assume leadership roles and pursue our advancement goals, knowing that the perseverance also develops emotional intelligence, improves creativity and can inspire others around you. You can also find strength in championing and preparing the next generation of women for leadership roles.

The 2024 elections will profoundly influence the professional landscape for women, shaping leadership opportunities, interpersonal interactions and stereotypes. Yet regardless of the outcome, women leaders who continue to pursue their goals and prepare to meet challenges continue to play a vital role in redefining leadership standards.

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