Welcome to the organizational behavior research lab of Prof. Melissa J. Williams, located at Goizueta Business School, Emory University, in Atlanta, GA.
We study how the social groups that people belong to (including gender, race, culture, and stigmatized identity) affect their ability to navigate hierarchies, wield power, and seize opportunities - in and out of the workplace.
Here are just a few of the questions we've been tackling recently:
Do professional women (vs. men) more frequently encounter colleagues who doubt their authority and expertise? (Does that make them want to quit?)
Does feeling powerless make it harder for people to support diversity programs that don't benefit them?
How do people's race-related physical features influence their career and educational outcomes?
How does the way you talk affect whether others see you as having leadership potential?
Can growing up with a stigma have positive effects on your later work performance?
How might masculinity expectations hinder men's career and personal outcomes?
With our research, we aim to help people thrive, increase fairness, and provide insight into organizational challenges involving diversity and leadership.