Some people collect stamps, art, or memorabilia. I have a more unusual hobby — I collect infuriating scientific . Not for fun, of course. I do it because in my job as a writer covering workplace issues, I keep coming across studies showing that women are judged differently — and more harshly — for all sorts of harmless everyday office behaviors. Morbid curiosity pushes me to find more and more examples: , , , and are all seen differently if a woman does them. And the problem is worse for middle-aged women. As I’ve highlighted previously, a showed that as women grow more senior and experienced, they are actually punished for being more senior and experienced. As those around them see women’s competence and power grow, they tend to view them as less warm — and culturally, women are expected to be warm and nurturing. All of a sudden, skill and gravitas magically transform into perceived bitchiness. This, of course, is enough to make me grind my teeth in rage. But is there anything women leaders can practically do to work around this deeply annoying bias? Yup, explains one of the researchers behind the study in a new interview — follow . You’re damned if you do and damned if you don’t. When she , psychologist and recently appointed dean of the university’s Haas School of Business Jennifer Chatman stressed that simply trying to be extra warm or hide their power rarely works for women. Performing traditional femininity by baking cookies or talking about their feelings causes women leaders to come across as less competent and trustworthy. Chatman illustrates the point with a story from a business context. “I remember talking to the new CEO of a tech company, a woman. On her first day, she came in and said, ‘You know, just like all of you, I’m really afraid of what’s coming next.’ She kind of expressed what she thought was vulnerability that people could relate to,” she recalls. “It completely backfired. They thought that she was totally incapable of doing the job.” Women leaders can’t play up their femininity, so maybe they should play down their competence and decisiveness? Unsurprisingly, that doesn’t work either. “I don’t think that women should try to look less powerful in order to satisfy the expectation that they’re warm. That’s a mistake,” Chatman adds. So what is the best strategy for women facing this frustrating situation? Basically, ignore it and laugh, Chatman recommends. And you know who is doing that really well at the moment? None other than 59-year-old female presidential contender Kamala Harris. Laugh your way to the top like Kamala Harris “She brings her full self to the job and doesn’t apologize for being powerful,” Chatman says of both Harris and former House speaker Nancy Pelosi. Being unapologetic beats contorting yourself to suit others’ expectations (here are whole lot of other super successful , agreeing with Chapman if you need more convincing). But if you really want to disarm sexism, don’t take it too seriously. Humor helps. “I know she has a good sense of humor,” Chatman says of Harrris. “She’s laughing, and that’s good. She should show her personality and her humanity.” Psychologists and leadership experts praise and make your message more memorable. It’s also apparently an effective way to add a spoonful of sugar to make the strong medicine of women in power go down a little more easily. You gain warmth without sacrificing authenticity or . As opposed to getting bogged down in discussions of sexism, humor helps you briskly shake off the issue to focus on what actually matters — you and your vision. This isn’t just an effective move in the political sphere, according to Chatman. It’s a good strategy for any woman in a position of leadership, including entrepreneurs. “Do not get derailed by these irrational expectations. Continue to do the best job you know how to do. Trust in your own judgment and competence. And then move forward,” she concludes. The opinions expressed here by Inc.com columnists are their own, not those of Inc.com.

How Can Middle-Aged Women Beat Bias and Get Ahead? Laugh Like Kamala Harris, Says Psychology

This article discusses the challenges middle-aged women face in leadership roles due to biases related to their competence and warmth. It highlights the research by Jennifer Chatman, a professor at the University of California, Berkeley, who suggests that women leaders should embrace their full selves and use humor to navigate these biases. Kamala Harris is cited as an example of someone who successfully uses humor to manage these challenges.