How does gender influence leadership? What are some of the results of this influence?

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

Gender influences leadership because the dominant culture often identifies certain traits of leaders and perpetuates the promotion of people who possess those traits. For example, according to trait theory a leader is born and an ideal leader is often tall, attractive, educated, and male. As a result of this stereotypical expectation of leadership, women occupy less than 20 percent of leadership positions within business, government, education, and nonprofit organizations. However, leadership skills can be learned and not all leaders meet the description of a leader according to trait theory.
Women and men face strong stereotypes about how they will behave. Men are thought to be more stereotypically assertive, independent, rational, and decisive in terms of leadership, whereas women are stereotyped as being more communal, expressing warmth, helpfulness, nurturance, and concern for others. In reality, women do tend to be more collaborative and democratic than men, but both men and women use an interpersonal style and tend to be equally task oriented. Many of the "feminine" leadership characteristics, including collaboration and relationship building, are gaining traction and are thought to be positive leadership behaviors in many organizations.