Abstract:

Most studies on the gender differences in leadership styles indicated that men and women managers manage in different manner.  Women are more inclined toward relational style, whereas men display tendency toward controlling and task-oriented style. The current dynamic changes occurring in the internal and external organizational environment will probably further the impact on gendered composition of leadership teams and their styles of leading. This research aimed at investigating gender differences in leadership styles. In study 1, 440 manager participants rated their own leadership styles, i.e. structuring, autocratic, participative, Machiavellian, rewarding and distant. Results showed that women tend to perceive themselves as more structuring, i.e. task-oriented, than men, which differs from the stereotypical view of relation-oriented management style usually ascribed to women. Male leaders assessed themselves as employing Machiavellian and distant styles of leadership. There were no significant differences between genders in the autocratic, rewarding and participative leadership styles. Study 2 with 516 participants investigated gender differences in destructive leadership styles. Results of this study have shown that men significantly exceeded women in destructive leadership styles. In general, both studies revealed that men employ negative leadership behaviors to greater extent than women. Organizations should be on the alert due to pervasiveness of destructive leadership, which is extremely detrimental to employees’ and organizational well-being.