Gender and Leadership: an Approach to the Differences between Women and Men in Management

Abstract

When a group of persons begins to interact, various differences between the members begin to appear. The pattern of relationships change according to the nature of the task and the most influential person became to be the leader. The aim of the present work is study whether men and women leader are fundamentally different or similar, reviewing the different relationships that exist when a group agrees a division of labour, roles, and responsibilities. It is also important to explore how the way of leadership influences the evolution of the whole group. Leaders must be chosen because of the characteristics that they possess. They should be seen as best suited to lead in particular situations and when negotiation and diplomacy are needed, interpersonal skills may outweigh the value of a dominant leader. In line with these, traditional feminine behaviour could be favoured in new business scenarios.