With so many different approaches to leadership, there's another variable to add to the list: Whether you're a man or woman also helps determine your management style.Susan Spencer, author of "Briefcase Essentials," says women have a unique approach to leading in the workplace and have 12 natural leadership skills. "Women's skills are different than men's, and when they work together they have a balanced leadership that benefits the entire organization," she says.
Here, Spencer explains how female leadership styles differ from those of their male counterparts, and why it's beneficial to have both types of leaders.
Leading instead of commanding
Female leaders are more concerned with helping everyone feel like a necessary part of the team than with being the only ones at the helm. "Women do not manage by 'command and control' as men do," Spencer says. "They manage by embracing teamwork and building solid professional relationships with each member of the team." In a tough economic environment or when leading a company that's going through turbulent times, this quality can help employees feel more connected to their workplace.
Communicating effectively
Running an organization or department often requires stellar communication skills, something that many women have mastered, says Spencer, who was once general manager of the Philadelphia Eagles football team. "Women communicate with employees at all levels of an organization regardless of their pay grade," she says and adds that it contributes to a positive working environment. Having this free flow of conversations also helps keep employees on the same page and prevents isolation.
Acknowledging mistakes
Admitting your errors can be difficult for top managers, but it can help subordinates relate to the boss and realize that she is only human. This is another positive trait. "Women leaders are not afraid to admit their mistakes," Spencer says. "By being straightforward and forthcoming about accepting responsibility where it rightfully belongs, they earn the trust and loyalty of their employees or organization."
Leading with empathy
One of the most important traits of female employers is their ability to empathize with their employees, Spencer says. Especially when a company goes through challenging, leaner times, women may be more understanding of their subordinates' problems, without simply dismissing them as unproductive employees. "They will be highly attuned to the problems of others and can put themselves in their shoes," she says. Using empathy to manage conflict between employees is also a key skill.
Flexibility
Another key characteristic of female leaders is flexibility when making decisions, Spencer says. "Men think linearly and women think contextually," she says. This means that women have "the ability to consider multiple options to problem-solve and arrive at a broadly analyzed problem." Contextual thinking results in a more thought-out process when making some company decisions and can lead to innovative solutions, she says.
Even as some companies realize these characteristics, many women still see huge barriers when trying to reach the highest positions in their firm and many still cannot land the same key roles as men. Women still get "pigeonholed into high-end administrative tasks," Spencer says. At some companies, women suffer from the stereotype of men being natural leaders and must constantly battle this misconception, she says. It's not all bad news: In the last 10 years things have changed, especially at the largest companies, where mentoring and other programs are meant to provide a network for women looking to lead organizations.
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