Do Men and Women Lead Differently? Who's Better? Are men better leaders, or do we just think so?

Published on March 23, 2010 by Ronald E. Riggio, Ph.D. in Cutting-Edge Leadership This is an age-old question. And the answer is complicated. Women in high-level leadership positions, such as corporate CEOs, when studied, seem to exhibit the same sorts of leadership behaviors as their male counterparts. That is probably because the demands of the leadership role require certain actions and behaviors to succeed. In addition, because of the hurdles that women must leap to get to the top (leadership and gender expert, Alice Eagly, refers to this as the "labyrinth" that women, but not men, need to go through), it could be the case that only women who exhibit the same sorts of leadership styles and behaviors as male leaders make it through. So, studying leaders at the top, gives the impression that there are no big differences in how men and women lead. You get a somewhat different picture if you ask followers and leaders about male and female leaders. They notice differences that are in line with stereotypes about men and women, reporting that female leaders are more nurturing, empathic, and responsive than male leaders, but they will also report the negative side (e.g., moody). Male leaders, on the other hand, are perceived to be more action-oriented and more focused on tasks. As a Catalyst study concludes that according to leaders and followers in the workplace, "women leaders take care, men leaders take charge." Realize, however, that this involves people's perceptions of leaders, colored by stereotypes and expectations. Finally, there is a growing body of research that has studied the leadership styles and leadership "potential" of men and women, typically men and women managers (but also women in non-managerial positions). For example, using the theory of transformational leadership as an indicator of successful leadership (transformational leaders are inspirational, positive role models, concerned about followers, empowering, and push followers to be creative and take chances), research shows that women, as a group, have more transformational qualities than men. In other words, and based on this research, women have more leadership potential and tend to lead more effectively than men (I discussed this in an earlier post). So, what are the implications? Well, as attitudes about women leaders change (they are changing, albeit ever so slowly) and the "labyrinth" becomes less difficult to navigate, we expect more to women attain high-level leadership positions. Noted leadership scholar, Bernard Bass, predicted that by the year 2034 the majority of high-level leaders will be women, based on their more transformational qualities. Of course, men in leadership positions are also realizing that the old way of leading - taking charge (command and control) - may not be as effective in today's world and in the future, so they learn to adapt and change how they lead. Why Women Make Better Leaders Than Men The world would be better if most leaders were women. Published on March 9, 2010 by Ronald E. Riggio, Ph.D. in Cutting-Edge Leadership The vast majority of political leaders and nearly all Fortune 500 CEOs are men. Moreover, in the industries that make our economy run, such as finance, manufacturing, technology, and agriculture, men are in the super majority of leadership positions. So, if most of our leaders are male, and if the U.S. is the dominant super power and the world's largest economy, how can I claim that we would be better off if women leaders were the majority?

It's simple. Most of our leaders fail. As I've noted earlier, estimates of leader incompetence and failure range from one half to two-thirds. CEO tenure is very short, and most are fired for poor performance. Ethical debacles? Can you name a woman who was involved? Companies are often successful in spite of their poor leadership, because of circumstances (e.g., oil companies discovering vast new oil fields will succeed regardless of poor leadership), the strong performance of U.S. workers because of high levels of education and drive, and government regulations that make businesses highly profitable. See All Stories In Secrets of Great Bosses The best leaders know that power is nothing without connecting to the people below. Find a Therapist

The top scholar on gender and leadership, Dr. Alice Eagly, recently stated that her studies show that women are more likely than men to possess the leadership qualities that are associated with success. That is, women are more transformational than men - they care more about developing their followers, they listen to them and stimulate them to think "outside the box," they are more inspirational, AND they are more ethical. Dr. Bernard Bass, who developed the current theory of transformational leadership, predicts that in the future women leaders will dominate simply because they are better suited to 21st century leadership/management than are men. So, why do men dominate leadership positions, and why can't highly qualified women get to the top? As Dr. Eagly puts it, women have to overcome obstacles to attain leadership positions, while men are offered a "free pass." Our image of a leader is "male," and so we more often select or promote men. Men control the hiring and favor men over women. We are simply reluctant to change the status quo. (When pollsters ask, "Is the U.S. ready for a woman President?" the majority answer "No."). So, consider this: What would our world look like with more women leaders? The research suggests that for organizations, industries, and for workers, it would be a better place. Women in top jobs are viewed as 'better leaders' than men

Last updated at 8:46 AM on 14th May 2010

Women in executive positions are perceived as better leaders than men, according to a new study. The prevailing stereotype that women in business are too sensitive or not as competent can stop them from advancing through the so-called 'glass ceiling'. However, once a woman has shattered that barrier, these qualities actually work in her favour, according to a Duke University researcher. Women in top jobs, such as former Birmingham City director Karren Brady, are seen as more competent and relationship orientated than their male counterparts

Women in top jobs, such as former Birmingham City director Karren Brady, are seen as more competent and relationship orientated than their male counterparts The research, published in the Journal of Applied Psychology, found top women executives were credited with responsibility for their own success. They were viewed as both more competent and more relationship-oriented than men. This led them to be perceived as more effective leaders than their male counterparts. Lead researcher, Professor Ashleigh Rosestte, said: 'In business environments, even if women are thought to be sufficiently competent, they are frequently thought to be not very nice. 'But on the tiptop rungs of the corporate ladder, competence and niceness may have a certain level of compatibility for women top leaders.' * A woman's touch makes men take more risks with money, psychologists reveal With the assistance of graduate student and co-author Leigh Plunkett Tost, Rosette conducted two separate experiments to assess if women could be evaluated as both competent and relational, and if that combination is what sets top successful women executives apart. In the first study, 323 graduate and undergraduate students reviewed fictitious newspaper clippings and then evaluated the male or female CEOs mentioned in the stories on their competence and relational characteristics. They found that when the newspaper articles portrayed women CEOs as successful and gave them credit for that success, the students evaluated them more favorably - as both more competent and more relational - than comparable male CEOs. However, a second study found students only evaluated females more favourably than males in toplevel positions, and not in middle management. Businesswomen such as Deborah Meaden from Dragon's Den, are given more credit for their own success Businesswomen such as Deborah Meaden from Dragon's Den, are given more credit for their own success They rated these women as more competent for having faced double standards and triumphing over exceptional hurdles. Participants in the second study also rated women as more relationship-oriented because they expected top women to engage in a more traditionally feminized type of leadership, an employee-focused leadership style that is increasingly viewed as effective. Professor Rosette said: 'Lets face it, women are often viewed as having to work twice as hard to get half as far and successful women executives may benefit from this perception, leading to a female leader advantage.'

'Additionally, the business mantra to think leader, think male may begin to fade as employees and other stakeholders gradually begin to value those leadership skills that focus on relationships and not just traditional leader traits that are more in line with masculinity.' However, the researchers cautioned that female leaders should realize that their behaviors may be viewed differently at different levels of the organization because successful women may face changing stereotypes as they move up the corporate ladder. Professor Rosette said: 'The irony here is that the double standard and a feminine approach to leadership have both traditionally been obstacles for women in the workplace. 'Our research suggests that these two views can lead to a female leader advantage for those women who successfully break through the glass ceiling.' Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-1278009/Women-jobs-viewed-betterleaders-men.html#ixzz1cOtXbxoV