A new study released in the US debunks conventional thinking about gender differences in leadership styles. The study demonstrates that men and women leaders have more in common than widely thought. The New York-based OnPoint Consulting released the results of a two-year study of the "influence skills" of 223 leaders (116 men and 107 women) in organizations across US and examined the extent to which there are gender differences.
The point of the study was to find out whether age-old stereotypes about purported differences between men and women leaders were really accurate. Conventional thinking is that female leaders tend to have more of a focus on relationships and have a more participatory style whereas men tend to focus more on results, and the tasks at hand. Some of the study’s findings were consistent with conventional thinking but there were also some surprising similarities.
Based on the executives studied, the study found that two influence tactics, "rational persuasion" and "collaboration," were used to the same extent by both men and women. Using a "360-degree feedback" questionnaire to collect data, these questionnaires were sent to the executives as well as their bosses, direct reports and colleagues, over a two-year period from 2008 to 2010.
Rational persuasion involves providing logical arguments and factual evidence to show that a request or proposal is feasible and relevant for important task objectives. This typically includes explaining why a requested task is necessary, explaining why a proposed change or project would be cost effective, and providing evidence that a proposed activity would be successful.
In the study, rational persuasion was the most frequently used tactic by both men and women when influencing bosses, colleagues and direct reports, and there was no significant difference between men and women in the use of this tactic.
Both men and women in the study also frequently used the same amount of collaboration as a tactic with bosses, colleagues and direct reports. That behaviour involves offering to provide relevant resources or assistance if the person will carry out a request or implement a proposed change. Examples include offering to show a person how to do the requested task, offering to help a person do the task and offering to provide resources needed to do the task.
These findings were surprising if you believe that men lead with a more task-oriented focus and women with a more interpersonal approach. If this were the case, you'd expect to find that men use rational persuasion and women use collaboration more frequently. However, the study found no differences between men and women in the use of these two tactics.
The study did find some differences between men and women when using other leadership-related tactics.
Women tended to use "inspirational appeals" -- describing a clear, inspiring vision, or making an inspiring presentation to arouse enthusiasm for a proposed activity or change -- significantly more frequently than men with colleagues and direct reports. With bosses, however, men and women use inspirational appeals to the same extent.
Inspirational appeals are generally less effective with bosses than they are with colleagues and direct reports, and it appears that both men and women recognize this. Women, however, better leverage this tactic with their colleagues and direct reports, and men may not be taking full advantage of this tactic.
Women also use "consultation" significantly more frequently than men when influencing bosses and direct reports. Consultation involves asking for ideas to improve a preliminary plan or proposal, or encouraging the person to express any concerns about a proposed change or new initiative.
Both men and women often rely on consultation when influencing colleagues and men tended to use consultation with colleagues to the same extent as women. However, men may be missing opportunities to use this tactic with their direct reports.
Women also use the tactics of "apprising," "ingratiating" and "legitimating" (legitimating is when a leader establishes she has the authority to make a request) more with colleagues and direct reports, while men use apprising -- explaining how carrying out a request or supporting a proposal would benefit the person personally or would help to advance the person's career -- more with their bosses.
Women probably have the edge in this are as apprising is generally more effective with colleagues and direct reports than with bosses.
The study also found that men and women use the tactic of "pressure" -- using demands, threats, warnings, or frequent check-ins -- to the same degree.
The study is a great opportunity for making the case why everyone could benefit from training on how to influence others. It really helps to have a wide range of skills, so you can use the appropriate one depending on the situation -- with peers, upwards and downwards.
