Chapter 12: Leadership, Gender & Diversity

Question 1

Why gender matters

Answer 1

• Many early leadership theories were developed from male-dominated contexts –> criticised for being too masculine in nature and focus (The Great Man Theory)
• 1990–> feminisatio of leadership –> feminine characteristics of care and support has been enlightened as an strategic advantage for organisational effectiveness and well-being.
• -> Transformational leadership recognizes feminine traits and behaviour as advantageous.

Certain class ceiling female leader face - child-bearing and dominant societal and cultural structures.

Question 2

Gender differences (apart from Hoyt)

Answer 2

Female leaders are more participative and democratic in preferred leadership style.

More transformational and engage more in contingent reward behaviour. –> related to effectiveness.

Female and male leaders tend to be more effective in gender congruent roles.

Woman showed stronger global leadership selfefficies in the areas of passion for diversity, intercultural empathy and diplomacy.
Female leaders and followers interacted more cooperatively than their male counterparts - female hesitated to lead in mixed-gender environments and particularly when they feared followers’ refusal to follow.

Question 3

Gender differences - Hoyt 4 situations female leaders were devalued

Answer 3

1. Led in a masculine manner
2. Worked in masculine roles
3. Worked in masculine industries
4. Were evaluated by men - they face prejudice.

Question 4

Challenges for Female Leaders, Hoyt found 3 different looking at the glass ceiling

Answer 4

1. human capital differences
2. gender differences
3. prejudice

Question 5

What is the glass cliff?

Answer 5

Female leaders are more likely to be promoted to top positions in times of crisis or poor organisational performance. These are highly risky and are inevitably associated with organisational failure. When women are recruited into these risky positions there are then not offered the necessary support or authority to succeed in the role.

The glass cliff also applies to black people and other minority groups.

Question 6

Other challenges for women

Answer 6

• Small suggest woman are less inclined to negotiate than men.

Question 7

What says Eagly’s “Social Role Theory”?

And double-bind situation?

Answer 7

That leaders want to behave in accordance with society’s gender expectations to avoid being an outcast - reinforces gender stereotyping of caring female and task-focused male leaders.

Double bind situation - highly communal leaders are criticized for not being agentic enough, highly agentic female leaders may be criticized for lacking communication.

Question 8

Feminine Advantage

Answer 8

Woman are more natural at engaging with transformational and contingency reward leadership behaviour.

Transformational leadership is associated with traditional feminine characteristics.
- caring, supporting and considering followers.

Question 9

Diversity

Answer 9

Ethnicity, age, gender, education, class and sexual orientation - the importance of a large range of diverse background to work together.

Question 10

Expatriate Leadership

Answer 10

Leadership in different cultures, leading followers from different cultures and expatriate leaders.

Question 11

Diversity management

Answer 11

Main advantage - likely increase in creativity and innovation
- greater potential talent pool and more balanced deci