Are Boards Sensitive to CEO Masculinity? The Effect of CEO Facial and Vocal Masculinity on CEO Dismissal

Abstract

Drawing on evolutionary psychology theorizing, this paper examines how chief executive officer (CEO) facial and vocal masculinity – as evolved biases shaping peoples’ perceptions of an individual’s leadership ability – influence boards’ dismissal decisions. Specifically, we theorize that boards are likely to perceive CEO facial and vocal masculinity as costly to the firm, as they signal aggression, dominance, and risk-taking – traits that are only valued in the narrow context of conflict. Based on this reasoning, we argue that CEO facial and vocal masculinity will be positively related to CEO dismissal. Further, we develop contingency arguments which suggest that CEO facial and vocal masculinity will interact with analysts’ evaluation of firm performance to jointly influence CEO dismissal. We test and find support for our predictions using a panel dataset of CEOs from S&P 1500 firms.