Unlike male
leaders, the reference point for a good leadership has been inadequately
defined for women leaders. The traditional and concretely defined gender roles
in the society have also influenced the research and findings on women
leadership, a role, which is divorced from the stereotype roles identified for
women. So, it becomes rather challenging for a woman to first reach a position
of leadership and then struggle for acceptance and credibility as a leader. It
is ironic that in both conservative and liberal cultures, the presence of women
in positions of influence, power and leadership is far less than desirable.
However, with changing times and workforce trends, this is also changing and
more and more women are breaking the glass ceiling to actually lead .
It is never easy
for a women leader to get accepted by male subordinates, in the bargain they
end up compromising on their leadership behaviors to make them more acceptable
and less intimidating for the male subordinates. This leaves a very narrow scope
of what is acceptable and what is not from a female leader. For example, an
aggressive and direct behavior from a male leader is appreciated but a similar
approach from a woman leader is termed as unnecessarily dominating. Similarly,
if the woman leader displays the feminine behavior of nurturing and care, they
are looked upon as lacking firmness and assertiveness.
Women have
certain innate strengths, such as creativity, collaboration, and communication
that make them highly effective in their approach to work. Women in leadership
roles tend to come from a more interactive, cooperative mind set, which creates
a stronger spirit of teamwork among their peers and subordinates. Today’s young
women are starting their careers better educated than men. A more educated workforce
is essential for implementing innovative techniques, challenging the status quo
and introducing new business approaches. If women are more educated, women are
critical tools to ignite the growth of a company .
