Gendered Managerial Styles the Role

Gendered Managerial Styles

The Role of Gender in Organizational Change Management

Management was considered a traditionally men's realm in the past. Clearly defined social roles and the "glass ceiling" dictated that women could not be CEOs or top managers. There were exceptions to this unwritten rule, but they were the rarity, rather than the norm (Ryan, Haslam, and Postmes, 2007). Since those days, social barriers that clearly defined gender roles have become archaic. Women and men now have an equal opportunity to hold positions of power. However, global corporate structure was developed with the male manager in mind.

No one will argue that men and women are wired differently. They have different styles of communication, social interaction, project management styles, and perspectives on conflict resolution. These differences create very different styles of managerial leadership. Understanding how these differences effect organizational culture and conflict resolution within the organization is an important factor in strategic plans and corporate goals.

Mergers, de-mergers, acquisitions, and downsizing are the business model for the new millennium. Organizational change is the rule, rather than the exception. Modern businesses are dynamic. Understanding the factors that affect the ability to make a smooth transition is the key to maintaining smooth operations in the newly formed entity. There has been little academic focus on the importance of these gender differences and how they effect organizations in transition. This research will explore this once taboo topic and will step beyond equal opportunity to define how gender differences affect managerial styles and organizational change.

Gender Differences in Managerial Style

As corporations become more global in their scope, gender differences will become more important in the future. Cultural differences treat gender differences and social roles differently. Some cultures, such as Muslim countries, still have narrowly defined gender roles and occupations. For instance, Chinese women have a significant conflict between work and family obligations (Aaltio and Huang, 2007).While, in other more liberal countries, such as the U.S. And England, women in the boardroom are a common sight. These differences will help to define the rules governing international relations in the future. As women in positions of power become more common in liberal countries, it will effect traditional communications and relationships in countries where gender roles are still highly defined.

Discussing the differences between the managerial styles of men and women is almost taboo due to fears of being accused of discrimination. Therefore, the differences in management styles of men and women has received little attention. However, these differences are real and effect the way an organization functions and responds to various situations. They have an impact on the effectiveness of the organization and ultimately on the bottom line. Misunderstanding these differences or basing decisions on inaccurate preconceptions leads to dysfunctional organizations. When problems are approached with a complete understanding of the viewpoints of all of the players involved, tolerance and communications become more efficient, and as a result so does the organization.

It is important to understand that the reason for a lack of attention to gender differences in managerial roles is not due to its lack of importance, but rather a result of fears of being politically incorrect. This is a relatively new area of study in the field of organizational leadership. To understand fully, how gender affects upper level managers, we must draw from the field of psychology. We must first define these differences in order to study how they effect organizations.

One can approach the issue of the differences between male and female managerial styles without delving into the question of which one is better, a topic that is best avoided. The truth of the matter is that whether one wishes to accept it or not, men and women have strengths and weaknesses, both as individuals and in general, that make them more suited for certain situations. That is not to say that this is always the case. There are individuals within both genders that are exceptions to the rule. However, generally speaking, men and women have mental capability and deficiencies that make them more effective in certain types of situations than in others. Understanding these strengths and weaknesses will help managers of both genders to become more effective by the ability to recognize when a certain trait or method of dealing with a situation would be more appropriate.

Defining Gender Differences in Managerial Style

According to the American Psychological Association, women and men have two clearly defined managerial styles. Women tend to have a mentoring or coaching style of management. Men tend to have a command and control style. Men tend to prefer hierarchies, where the different players jockey for position. Women tend to enjoy a cooperative environment where the players are on more equal terms (APA, 2006). It is not surprising that women tend to respond better to a more coaching/mentoring style of management and men prefer hierarchies (APA, 2006).

Each gender tends to be more effective among their own kind. However, the problem at hand can dictate which managerial style will be more effective in a particular situation. In problems where teamwork is paramount, women will tend to form more cohesive groups. Women tend to help transform groups and individuals within the group. They seek to bring out the best qualities of each employee. They serve as role modes, focusing on motivating employees to be creative and dedicated to the cause (APA, 2006).

Women participate in the outcome and want to be involved in an intimate way with every phase of the project (APA, 2006). In a corporation that relies on creativity, such as a design studio, or architectural firm, female managers can excel. However, in certain traditional male settings, this managerial style can be detrimental. Certain organizations are set up to accommodate a command and control style of management. For instance, in organized sports or the military, the participatory style of the female manager may backfire. The managerial style must be matched to the organizational structure and purpose, regardless of the gender of the manager.

2003 meta-analysis revealed another key difference in male and female managerial style. Women tend to praise good performance, more than they criticize poor performance. Men, on the other hand, are more likely to criticize poor behavior and ignore good behavior. Men also tend to criticize subordinates more than equals (APA, 2006). The problem occurs when these traits are taken as absolutes. People will form expectations about how a certain manager will act, based on gender bias. When the manager does not meet expectations, it can cause conflict. Women who take a more command and control style associated with men can be seen in a negative, rather than a positive light. They may be seen as "pushy." Likewise, men who tend towards cooperation will not be likely to gain respect among comrades, as they will be seen as wishy-washy or effeminate.

The female manager who is criticized for being to bossy is much more likely to change their behavior to be more compliant than a male who is accused of being too wishy washy (APA, 2006). When the female manager changes her behavior, it is not likely to result in a power struggle. However, when a male boss is seen as wishy-washy, another male may try to hone in and take command. This can result in a power struggle that undermines the ability to complete the project.

As one can see, although there are no absolutes as to how male and female managers will react in certain situations, there are certain general tendencies associated with gender that affect the ability to a manager to be effective in a certain situation. The organizational culture and structure of the corporation have an impact on which managerial style will be more effective for that particular organization. One of the most difficult situations occurs in change management when an organization becomes accustomed to a certain managerial style, and they must suddenly adapt to an entirely different managerial style (Linstead, Brewis, and Linstead, 2005).

When conflicts arise, women managers are more likely to be willing to compromise in order to arrive at a mutually beneficial solution to the problem (Voelck, 2003). Men are more likely to engage be confrontational and engage in a power struggle (Voelck, 2003). Voelck, (2003) calls these managerial styles "directive" and "connective." Traditional views on managerial styles view them as static. However, it is now beginning to be realized that they are dynamic and need to be viewed as such (Linstead, Brewis, and Linstead, 2005).

Women tend to focus on building lasting relationships. According to Shullman, this leads to greater longevity among female manager, as opposed to males. However, she cautions about making assumptions based on generalizations and emphasized that there are no absolutes when it comes to gender issues in management. Shullman feels that the old stereotypes are still there, but that they have weakened over time. Shullman found that in major corporations, men are selected early in their careers for "grooming" into higher positions. Women are not as likely to be selected for "grooming" into a top position.

Gender and Organizational Social Change Models

The increasing number of women in managerial positions represents a social change. Women are in these positions, and must earn their way to be accepted by both males and females. There are other changes within organizational styles that may be impacted by the entrance of more female managers into the workplace. For instance, the older authoritarian styles of the early part of the century are slowly being replaced by a more "team" approach (McGuire and Hutchings, 2006). These cultural changes within organizations represent a switch to an organizational culture that is more oriented towards the female managerial style. Male managers may need to soften their approach in order to make the transition to a "team oriented" organization.

The differences in the way in which males and females approach problems is an accepted paradigm in psychology. Historically, women have had difficulty adjusting to the male authoritarian style of management. As the woman was typically the one to change, this tended to select for the authoritarian style of management. The goal of organizational change is to accommodate the change in a manner that causes as little conflict as possible. As organizations change from a decidedly "male" style to a more feminine style, managers and employees alike will have to adjust to new ideas about gender and managerial issues.

Current theory on organizational change does not address the issue of gender. The context of the change dictates the relationship between individual differences and the change process (Walker, Armenakis, and Bernerth, 2007). Individual differences mediated the differences in the commitment to make the change work (Walker, Armenakis, and Bernerth, 2007). In addition, negative change experiences can have an impact on the willingness to cooperate in future change activities (Walker, Armenakis, and Bernerth, 2007). Organizational change means learning to unlearn past habits and attitudes (Akgun, et al., 2007). The new organization not only has to learn new behaviors, they must also break old patterns and habits. Some of these changes can be on a fundamental level, which can create a stressful situation.

A group of women can accomplish a task, even in the absence of a clearly defined leader (Rippin, 2007). The top-down approach to change management is masculine approach where changes are dictated to underlings. Male bank managers were unable to form teams for a common goal in absence of an official control structure. They finally resorted to a hierarchical structure in order to accomplish the task (Sallyanne, 2005). This style has been associated with more discord that a wholistic approach to change (Diefenbach, 2007). The organizational change model relies on power, leadership, rewards, and discipline, as well as role norms and values as the key drivers to facilitate change (McGuire and Hutchings, 2006).

There is a significant body of evidence that suggests that change management should be approached from a gendered perspective and that differences in managerial styles between men and women need to be considered to make a successful transition (Linstead, Brewis, and Linstead, 2005). In an examination of the conflict-filled change of Marks and Spencer, violent, "hyper-masculine" behavior was at the heart of the conflict and created a destructive, rather than productive environment (Rippin, 2005). Regardless of the outcome, gender differences in managerial style are an important component to the success of the change process.

Current organizational change models are dependent upon a decidedly masculine approach, from a managerial approach. The purpose of this study was not to determine which management style was better. Both masculine and feminine styles have their place within certain organizations. However, as we become more aware of how gender differences affect change management, it becomes apparent that this concept needs to become a conscious part of the process.

Past, Present and Future of the Issue

In the past, gender differences in the corporate world were more clearly defined. The business world that we know today had its roots at the beginning of the industrial era. This was a decidedly male world. In the industrial era, women were minor players. They could be a part of the workforce, but not the management. This resulted in a decidedly masculine style of management as the only acceptable way to run a business. In the last part of this century, women began to assume a more important role in the management of businesses. It is estimated that approximately one out of four corporations have a female CEO (APA, 2006).

As women become more prominent in the corporate world, it has become apparent that they have a definitively different managerial style from men. One cannot determine which style is better. It appears that in some cases, both gender styles prevail. Gender differences in management style can be constructive or destructive. The situation dictates which style will be more effective, rather than the individual manager. Only in the past 2-3 years has the issue of gendered management become a topic of interest.

In the future, the idea of gendered management will become a more important issue in the area of change management. The most important outcome of this research will be the ability to characterize an organization and choose the correct management style for the organization. There is already an existing body of research regarding how to characterize organizational culture. The ability to characterize an organization as either a male or female oriented structure will provide valuable information about the success of a particular management style during the change process.