Are you a leader? Are you that person who gets things done – shows initiative, inspires, guides and motivates a group to achieve a common goal? Does it matter whether you are male or female? Do men and women lead in the same way?
I read recently in a Guider report that women leaders excel at:
- Being honest and ethical.
- Providing fair pay and good benefits.
- Giving guidance and mentorship and being a spokesperson for the company.
All that is wonderful – who wouldn’t want to be that person – but are female leaders different from male leaders?
Male leaders are often characterised as:
- being task-oriented,
- active and independent
- focused on decision making.
Don’t all leaders need to be all of the above whether male or female?
Personally, I would prefer not to be judged as a ‘female leader’ but simply as a ‘leader’ – leader and a woman in tech.
To quote Sheryl Sandberg, Chief Operating Officer (COO) of Facebook
“The word ‘female,’ when inserted in front of something, is always with a note of surprise. Female COO, female pilot, female surgeon — as if the gender implies surprise … One day there won’t be female leaders. There will just be leaders.”