Any Questions? Gillian O'mara
The Age
Saturday May 17, 2008
Does the gender of a chief executive really matter?
Your chief executive officer has a track record and leads the business to greater shareholder or stakeholder value. It wouldn't be uncommon for the everyday professional to question: "What does it matter if my chief executive is male or female, so long as he or she achieves bottom-line results?"Research commissioned by Steps Leadership Programs provides conclusive evidence that Australian women in executive and management roles have a stronger leadership profile than men. Women have greater capacity in key leadership qualities including strategic drive, risk-taking, people skills and innovation; men rated higher in operational focus and the bottom line.It suggests men lead by "command and control" to achieve aims. Such a style will heavily influence the culture of an organisation, likely to place bottom-line results as top priority. Financial performance is still a critical element of business success but it's not the only game in town. It is interesting to note that the financial performance of organisations with a greater number of female executives was 34% higher than those with the fewest, as revealed by a British survey.Women have a more holistic leadership profile and their preferences will shape the culture of their business to value strategic thinking, innovation, a healthy appetite for risk and cultivating their people.So does the gender of a chief executive really matter? To a talented career professional seeking an employer with shared values and a culture that enables personal development and career growth, it certainly does.
© 2008 The Age
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