Men and women have different leadership strengths, and organisations need a balance of both if they are to be truly effective.
That’s the conclusion of a new study from Talent Innovations which analysed feedback results of nearly 14,000 managers to identify the differences in how men and women were rated against a set of 18 leadership competencies.
The study found:
- Men are more strategic but women may make better project managers.
- Women score higher than men in the competencies of planning and managing activities, respect & empathy for others and personal responsibility.
- Men score higher in strategic vision, commercial focus and personal impact.
- Women are good at prioritising and multitasking.
- Men are good at making a strong first impression, expressing views with confidence, being visible across the organisation and making their presence felt.
- Women empathise well with others, are socially-sensitive and they’re good listeners.
- Men are less socially-sensitive and are more focused on the rational, practical and commercial aspects of achieving results.
- Women rate other women higher in the competencies of leading teams, managing performance, the ability to communicate clearly, commitment to development and being customer-centric.
- Men rate other men higher in the ability to grasp complexities and innovation.
“Men and women tend to excel in different aspects of leadership,” said Elva Ainsworth, Managing Director of Talent Innovations. “The ‘male leadership style’ is strategic and visionary, while the ‘female leadership style’ is more social. On one hand, this study highlights the general areas in which men and women need leadership development. However, on the other, it suggests that the natural styles of men and women are complementary. By creating a balance of both types of leadership, through Board-level diversity, organisations can bring about peak performance.”
The full study – What can 360 feedback data tell us about the differences between male and female leaders? – is available at www.talentinnovations.com.
