Leading While Dancing Backwards: What’s Really Different about Female and Male Leadership Styles?

Joyce Osland, Ph.D.

San Jose State University

“Ginger Rogers did everything Fred Astaire did – she just did it in high heels dancing backwards”

Ann RichardsDemocratic National Convention, 1988

EVIDENCE FOR “NO DIFFERENCE”

Study of 13,600 senior leaders in various countries:

Similarities far outweigh the differences. Age, length of time in the organization,

positive attitude, outward looking = key variables in leader effectiveness

Female styles as varied as male styles

EVIDENCE FOR “NO DIFFERENCE”

In a host of nonlaboratory studies Men and women leaders in comparable

positions and engaged in similar activities

No difference in leader effectiveness, motivation, personality, or leadership styles

Once given a leadership role and legitimized by their organization, women and men do not act very differently.

BUT

Women tend to be more democratic

Unless they are working in an autocratic setting.

IMPORTANCE OF CONTEXT

Organizational culture Type of work & industry National culture – implicit

theories of leadership Gender composition

MALE-DOMINATED INDUSTRIES

Female and male leadership styles do not differ in male-dominated industries

In female-dominated industries women are more interpersonally oriented than men

Women using an interpersonally oriented leadership style in male-dominated industriesreport significantly worse mental health

WOMEN ENTREPRENEUR LEADERS AREDIFFERENT

Share power and information Enhance the self-worth of followers Use interactive skills more frequently Place greater emphasis on maintaining

effective working relationships at work

WOMEN LEADERS ARE DIFFERENT

Transformational leadership style More empathic More inclusive in addressing

concerns Better communicators Better people skills More results-oriented – concerned

about meeting high standards Worse at strategic planning & vision

In sum, women tend to be more inclusive and

interpersonal

until

They make it to the top

Influencing Tactics

TypeType ToolToolRational persuasion

Inspirational appeals

Consultation

Ingratiation

Personal appeals

Exchange

Coalition Tactics

Legitimating tactics

Pressure

Logical arguments and facts

target’s values, ideals, and aspirations

inclusion of target in planning

praise, flattery, friendly, helpful behavior

target’s loyalty and friendship

reciprocated favors

seek aids of others

claim authority or right, point to policy, tradition

demands, threats, frequent checkingWomen use red tactics more than men

TO INFLUENCE OTHERS, WOMEN TEND TO RELY ON

Inclusion Charisma Expertise Contact Interpersonal skills

TO INFLUENCE OTHERS, MEN TEND TO RELY ON

The formal authority found in their position A command-and-control style

THE USE OF POWER WOMEN vs. MEN

Power as a resource to influence job outcomes and focus employee competencies

More consensus oriented

Power as an end in itself

Power used for control and to win over others in authority

at senior levels, there is no difference in the way women and men exercise power.

BUT

THE RESEARCH BOTTOM LINE

Beliefs and attitudes about women in leadership roles have gradually begun to change

Despite enduring stereotypes, few behavioral differences are consistently documented

Less gender difference at senior levels?

LEADER EFFECTIVENESS Slight tendency to evaluate females

more negatively than males, particularly women using masculine leadership styles

Men have more freedom than women to use a range of styles without encountering negative reactions

…LEADER EFFECTIVENESS Meta-analysis showed female

leaders more effective than males Both men and women more

effective in leadership roles congruent with their gender

Senior male bosses rate senior women (CEOs & VPs) lower than their peers & direct reports

TO BE VIEWED AS EFFECTIVE

Develop a democratic, transformational leadership style

Give rewards contingent on employee performance

Be proactive rather than passive Expect to be held to a higher

standard

WHERE DO “DIFFERENCES” COME FROM?

Early socialization practices

Girls expected to demonstrate care and consideration

Boys expected to compete and perform

Gender stereotypes Societal expectations

Individual perceptions

Think Management, Think Male?When U.S. managers and students are asked

to describe managers, they describe the male gender stereotype, shown below.

Assertive Independent Competitive Daring Courageous

Women who act like clear-cut leaders may be perceived as

insufficiently feminine.

STATUS CHARACTERISTICS THEORY

People with higher status Get more chance to contribute to

tasks Receive higher evaluations for their

contributions Exert greater influence over others Are more likely to emerge as group

leaders

STATUS CHARACTERISTICS THEORY

People with lower status who act like leaders are not perceived as competent because this behavior contradicts others’ expectations.

PERFORMANCE STANDARDS

Women must still perform better to be considered equally competent

Because men are perceived as more competent, it is easier for them to exert influence

FINDING THE BALANCE

PERCEIVED COMPETENCE

PERCEIVED ECCENTRICITY

The Sense-Making Process

Framing the Situation

•Past experiences influence our expectations.

•We scan for cues to confirm our expectations.

•We establish a frame for the situation.

Making Attributions

•Who am I dealing with?

•What are their views toward women my age in my role?

•How competent do they think I am?

•What’s the “ideal leader” in this organization?

Selectinga Script

What behavior will be most effective In this context?

INFLUENCE

INFLUENCE—the process by which people successfully persuade others to follow their advice, suggestions, or orders

Resistance Compliance

Commitment

Outcomes of Influence Attempts

Assertive Persuasion

Behaviors: Reasoning, debating, presenting ideas, proposals, and suggestions that involve facts and logic

Language: I suggest we adopt the second proposal for the following three reasons...

Push Styles...

Reward and Punishment

Push Styles...

Behaviors: Stating expectations, using incentives and pressures, evaluating, demanding, bargaining

Language: I expect you to be at work on time. If you are late, I will have to dock your pay.

Participation and Trust

Behaviors: Understanding, involving and supporting others, personal disclosure, active listening

Language: What do the rest of you think we should do?Pull Styles...

Common Vision

Behaviors: Inspiring, visioning, finding common ground, aligning

Language: Imagine what we could accomplish if we worked together.Pull Styles...

ARE WOMEN LEADERS STILL DANCING BACKWARDS IN 2004?

Women hold 9% of top leadership positions in US business and have lower compensation, mobility and authority

What’s Keeping Women Back?

47% Lack of significant line or general management experience

41% Exclusion from informal networks33% Male stereotyping and preconceptions 29% Failure of senior leadership to assume

accountability for advancing women26% Commitment to personal or family

responsibilities

HOW DO WOMEN GET AHEAD?

69% Consistently exceeding expectations49% Successfully managing others47% Developing a style male managers are

comfortable with46% Having recognized expertise in a

specific content area40% Seeking out difficult or highly visible

assignments

TIPS FOR WOMEN LEADERS Combine assertive, instrumental behavior with

warmth and cooperativeness Figure out your natural leadership style;

determine when it does and doesn’t work Develop a style men are comfortable with Look for role models Expand your repertoire of leader behaviors Balance perceived eccentricity with perceived

competence Be honest with yourself; when does gender

matter? Be positive – present solutions for problems

What Type of Leadership Do We Need Now?

“After years of analyzing what makes leaders most effective and figuring out who’s got the Right Stuff, management gurus now know how to boost the odds of getting a great executive. Hire a female.”

Sharpe, 2000 in BusinessWeek

THE GREAT NEWS!

The 25 fortune 500 companies with the best track record of promoting women to high positions are 18-69% more profitable than median firms in their industries.

The Glass Ceiling Research Center