Female Leadership Case Study

One topic that arises in management is the lack of female CEOs, especially in the Fortune 500. With only 26 out of the 500 being female in 2013, we question on why this is the case. Are there differences between male and female leaders? While some research argue that there are no gender differences in the leadership styles employed by men and women, others support the idea that there is a difference between male and female leaders on how they lead. By exploring the literature research on both views, we would then be able to get our own conclusion on whether there are differences.

Some of the research on gender differences in leadership styles has come to the conclusion that there are no quantifiable differences between men and women in leadership

Task oriented leaders are autocratic, direct, and controlling (Eagly & Johnson, 1990). Task oriented behaviours are “concentrated on performing the job that the work group faces and are thus similar to those of the initiating structure factor. The leader is concerned with setting work standards, supervising the job, and meeting production goals” (Riggio, 2008). These take-charge leadership traits are emulated by men’s characteristics when it comes to communication. As stated in chapter two, men are very goal-oriented when it comes to the way in which they approach communication as they use conversations to achieve results, preserve independence, dominance, and maintain their status in the hierarchical social order (Tannen, 1990). Thus, men’s communication style, based primarily on control and power, mirrors their task-oriented leadership style quite perfectly. This aggressive approach is primarily why men emerge more often as leaders than women in the workplace. Other meta-analysis research has shown that male managers are more motivated to work in competitive environments where they exert an assertive role, are able to impose their wishes on others, and stand out in a group of people (Eagly, Johannesen-Schmidt, & Van Engen, 2003; Eagly, Karau, Miner, & Johnson, 1994). While men use a task-oriented leadership approach, women are much more concerned with the bonds they have with their followers. This relationship-oriented style is characterized by democratic and participative leadership characteristics (Eagly & Johnson, 1990). Relationship-oriented behaviours are focused on maintaining interpersonal relationships on the job including “showing concern for employees’ well-being and involving them in decision-making processes” (Riggio, 2008). Female leaders tend to assume more of a caretaker role, possibly