It’s a debate as old as time—are women better leaders than men? While leadership has long been associated with authority and decisiveness, modern research suggests that emotional intelligence, adaptability, and collaboration—traits often linked to women—are just as crucial.
From boardrooms to political arenas, women have proven time and again that they can lead with strength, empathy, and resilience. But does that make them better leaders? Or is the real question whether leadership should be judged by old-school standards in the first place?
Psychological research by the American Psychology Association has shown that when women are empowered to take on leadership positions, the effects can be metamorphic for everyone. It is stated that female leaders demonstrate more transformational leadership styles, are more likely to inspire people to follow the organisation’s mission, and are now seen as equally or more competent than men.
“Communal stereotypes viewing women as more compassionate and sensitive than men strengthened over time. Team collaboration is greatly improved by the presence of women in the group, an effect that is primarily explained by women’s benefits to group processes, according to a 2010 study.”
The above source further explains that women rank better than or equal to men in seven of eight traits relevant to leadership, including honesty, intelligence, compassion, outgoingness, and creativity and that the presence of a female leader can lead to fairer treatment, greater projected salary and status, and increased organisational trust.
According to Replicon, women are great leaders due to their ability to balance professional and personal leadership skills, be more inclusive, encourage free thinking, focus on teamwork, and be good at multitasking.
They are also more willing to take on challenges and make bold decisions, fostering a more cooperative and family-like environment, adds the above source. Women are also said to be good at multitasking, allowing them to respond decisively and quickly to simultaneous tasks or problems.
Also see: What’s your leadership style?
