Society has many discrepancies regarding how different genders are seen and treated. These entrenched idiosyncrasies influence how women and men experience the corporate world and can significantly impact their management styles.
Women are still the primary family caregivers in the USA, which can result in keenly developed time management skills and high endurance levels. Men might feel pressured never to show weakness at work, so building and portraying confidence is a priority for them.
Does this affect how men and women approach leadership? Perhaps, though, it’s important to note that every leader, despite their gender, has their own style. Sweeping statements about how women and men act at work can be a minefield and perpetuate discrimination.
Here are 12 ways that male and female managers are said to approach leadership differently.
Men Feel More Comfortable Delegating Work
Many women report they fear backlash if they delegate work. As managers, this could result in them taking on more than they need to. On the other hand, it is said that men are seen as leaders when they assign tasks and responsibilities.
Women Leaders Coach and Mentor More Freely
Because executive roles are largely still dominated by men, women leaders may be more driven (or feel like they are expected) to coach and mentor other women so that gender inequality in upper management can be addressed. They may feel more compelled to help their mentees succeed, giving them access to networks and support and helping them navigate male-dominated corporate spheres.
Men Own Praise
Men in leadership are said to be more comfortable receiving praise, while women in the same roles struggle to accept praise without downplaying it. This could be because men feel confident accepting compliments is a sign of strength, not vanity. Women may feel like receiving praise outright will come across as arrogant, as it is often seen this way in the media and by society.
Women Give More Feedback
Some say they’ve had women managers who are more involved in supporting their progress than the male managers they’ve worked under. The feedback (positive or negative) women leaders give is said to be more detailed, though this is not everyone’s experience.
Men Don’t Qualify Statements
When a male leader says things like, “Please correct me if I’m wrong…” or “I don’t know if I’ve mentioned this yet…” it is almost seen as weird and awkward. Often, it feels unusual for men to use softer language. However, when a woman doesn’t qualify her statements, she is often seen as rude or abrupt.
Women Prioritize The Team
Many believe that women prioritize their teams above their personal career goals. They are seen to be more team-centric, with a collaborative approach. It is even said that women acknowledge their team more than men when they receive awards. It could be partly because of societal expectations placed on women to be more nurturing and inclusive.
Men Speak Up More
A common observation is that men often speak up more in meetings and speak louder. They generally feel more comfortable repeating others and interrupting. It may be because they are used to showing dominance and see it as being assertive. When women do the same, they are often criticized for being pushy and out of line.
Women Are Accommodating
Women are often seen as more accommodating. They may go the extra mile to please people. Society often expects women to place the needs of others over their own, so this may be why some women leaders go above and beyond to meet everyone’s expectations and demands.
Men Don’t Take Everything On
Often, men are more able to set boundaries that are respected. Many women leaders report that they are expected to take on more responsibilities and be more involved in smaller details of the business and their employees’ lives than their male counterparts. This often makes setting boundaries difficult.
Women Belong to Committees
There is a trend where women in high leadership roles are being roped into more committees than men. It can chew up a lot of time that could be focused on core responsibilities and strategic goals.
Men Take Risks
Many say that men take more risks at work because they have the freedom to. Women, on the other hand, may be more cautious due to the fear of being judged or penalized more harshly for mistakes.
Women Involve Others in Decisions
Some say that women leaders involve others in their decisions more than their male counterparts do. This may result from societal expectations that women be more collaborative and consensus-driven.
Mind The Gap
Sometimes, the divide we place between women’s and men’s leadership styles is an illusion. By lumping a gender into one category, we can create more bias. Expectations are different according to your sex, and so are perceptions. While a man and a woman may have the same leadership approach, they might be seen very differently—for example, where a woman may be seen as rude, the same behavior in a man is interpreted as assertive.
Perhaps the conversation needs to be more about the different challenges and perceptions men and women leaders face at work.
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