LCO_Week_6_Discussion_Reply
avani1992
Posts.docxPost 1
It is apparent that men and women differ in their leadership style. It is not a leadership style difference because of gender but a value and belief difference because of people. Ronald Riggio would disagree with my assessment that leadership style differences has nothing to do with gender. In his article, “Do Men and Women Lead Differently? Who’s Better?” Reggio (2010) suggests that women in high levels of leadership exhibit the same leadership behaviors as men. He further suggests that the demands of the leadership role require certain actions and behaviors to succeed which are not mutually exclusive of gender.
A wide spread belief is that women are more nurturing, empathic, and responsive than men when it comes to leading an organization. Chelan David (2006) suggests that men are more direct and goal-oriented while women are relationship-oriented seeking harmony. Many of the style differences can be linked to stereotypes. For examples, to say that women are more nurturing and relationship-oriented would suggest that men cannot be more nurturing, and that relationship may not be as important. This is a stereotype because America has trained society to believe that women are nurturing. However, the more nurturing woman does not suggest a lack of power or authority.
Women may be more nurturing and men may be goal-oriented, but I believe leadership styles are established in how leaders have placed their values in an organization and power comes to whoever leads.
Post 2
As women increasingly enter leadership roles that traditionally have been occupied mainly by men, the possibility that the leadership styles of women and men differ continues to attract attention. (Eagly)
Until very recently, the general perception of business management was a structure dominated by males whose leadership style was hierarchical, action-oriented, and even quasi-military. The ideal leader was seen as an independent, tough, individualistic hero.
But now a new generation of women is bringing to business a style often described as more consensus building, more open and inclusive, more likely to encourage participation by others, and even more caring than that of many males.
Smart companies are making room for a diversity of styles, encouraging the development of women leaders along with the men.
Women leaders perform an "interactive" leadership style, in which they are not only encouraged others participation but also attempted to enhance other people's sense of self-worth and to energize followers. These women leaders believe that people perform best when they feel good about themselves and their work.
The male leaders leaned toward the traditional "command-and-control" style. They were more likely to employ a "transactional" leadership, viewing job performance as a series of transactions with subordinates and offering rewards for services rendered or punishment for inadequate performance. (Nelton)
Which approach to power do you exemplify and why?
In order to achieve organizational goals, men and women managers can work comfortably together at the top and that their differing styles of leadership can be complementary, producing a synergism that gives the company benefits it would not receive if two men or two women were in those jobs. (Nelton)
