Leadership and the role of Gender

1. Leadership and the role of Gender Effects of Sex and Gender Roles on Leader Emergence

2. What is your thoughts about the relationship between leadership and whether you are a man or a woman? Do men emerge as leaders more often than women?

3. Study by Margarie(1969) Effects of dominance and sex on leader emergence Gender neutral task Some subjects were rated high on a dominance scale and others low. Subjects were put into dyads

4. Study by Margarie(1969) Same sex dyad High dominance emerged as leader 70% of the time

5. Study by Margarie(1969) Mixed Sex High domenent male emerged as leader 88% of the time

6. Study by Margarie(1969) Mixed Sex High dominent female emerged as leader 25%

7. The study has been replicated several times with about the same results

8. Over the past several decades several things have happened to blur the sex differences in leader emergence Mass entrance of women into the workforce Increasing # of female managers Societal shift in gender role peception

9. Perceptions of Gender vs Perceptions of Sex Gender Characteristics of Masculinity Self assertive and motivated to master their environment e.g. aggressive, independent, self sufficient, forceful, dominant. Characteristics of Femininity Selfless, Concern for others, emotional sensitivity, cooperation e.g kind, helpful, understanding, warm, sympathetic, aware of other�s feelings People of either biological sex can have masculine, feminine or both characteristics

10. Maybe its not that men emerge as leaders more frequently but people, men or women, with masculine characteristics emerge as leaders

11. Study by Goktepe and Schneier (1989) Sex had no effect on leader emergence Gender did Masculine subjects emerged as leaders more often than feminine, androgynous or undifferentiated subjects.

12. Definitions Masculine � high masculinity, low femininity Feminine � low masculinity, high femininity Androgynous � high masculinity, high femininity Undifferentiated � Low masculinity, low femininity

13. Kent and Moss (1997)-Hypothses Men will more often emerge as leaders in group situations than women Group members high in masculinity will emerge more frequently than will those low in masculinity Gender identity is more important than biological sex Individuals classified masculine or androgynous emerge as leaders more frequently than feminine or undifferentiated. Masculine and androgynous individuals are perceived as leaders more of by the group and by themselves

14. Kent and Moss (1997) Studied MBA students Findings Masculinity is an important predictor of leader emergence Androgynous individuals have the same chance of emerging as leaders as masculine individuals. Possession of feminine characteristics doesn�t decrease leader emergence so long as masculine characteristics are present

15. Gender roles and context Studies of gender roles and leader emergence done in research, rather than business settings. But context is important. Organizational roles and expectations (frequently masculine) Gender roles selected based on the expectations of organizational roles

16. Leadership Style the way that people lead

17. Leadership Style Task Accomplishment Sometimes called initiating structure Interpersonal Relationships Consideration Autocratic directive Democratic participative

18. Task (initiate structure) Having subordinates follow rules and procedures Maintain high standards of performance Specific roles and assignments for leaders and followers

19. Interpersonal relationships (consideration) Helping subordinates Look out for subordinates well being Explaining and coaching Being friendly and available

20. Autocratic Democratic Democratic Behave democratically Allow subordinates to participate in the decision making process Autocratic Behave autocratically Discourage subordinates from participating in the decision making process

21. Relationship of Gender and Style In laboratory studies, men were more task oriented and women more consideration oriented. Men were more autocratic and women more democratic in laboratory studies In organizational settings style is influenced more by organizational role expectations than by gender stereotyping. If you are expected to be task oriented in a particular organization, you will�regardless of your gender.

22. Relationship of Gender and Style (cont�d.) However, the tendency to be autocratic if you are a man and democratic if you are a woman is consistent in both laboratory and organizational settings

23. Gender, style and leader emergence (Eagly & Karau, 1991) In task oriented groups, men are more likely to emerge as leaders, and manage autocratically. In socially oriented groups, women are more likely to emerge as leaders and manage anticipatively

24. In summary Significant increases in number of women in business and in leadership and management roles. Research examined relationship of sex, gender and style. Gender role a more important aspect on leader emergence than biological sex. Individuals characterized as masculine or androgynous more likely to emerge as a leader

25. In summary Introduction of leader style complicates the issue further Leader style influenced by gender characteristics as well as context.