Health & Fitness
Do Men and Women Entrepreneurs Lead Differently?
America needs leaders more than ever in 2012. I believe it is the diversity of leadership style that men and women bring that will be the answer to our future challenges.
As an author of a book on women's leadership, I am asked regularly about my
opinion on the difference between men and women's leadership
styles.The question is do men or women make the better boss? Which gender manages other people more successfully? And, which gender is better suited for leadership?
These questions can't be answered accurately without a clear definition of
management and leadership. In my experience, entrepreneurs will not be
successful unless they are leaders and have some ability to manage others.
Entrepreneurship requires vision. Leaders have vision. They are big idea
people. As leaders they inspire others to follow them. Leaders realize that they
are only as successful as they are capable of motivating others in their
organization to succeed. Leaders walk the talk and ask what is possible.
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Managers understand their role as implementer. They have a talent for
communicating the short term perspective for the organization. Managers focus on process and getting things done. The bottom line is their responsibility.
Managers ask how.
Clearly, the description for leaders and managers has nothing to do with
gender. In 2012, more than ever, leaders and managers will need to use a new
approach to motivate. As Dan Pink writes in Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us the carrot-stick approach (yes, fewer people are
motivated just by money) will require an overhaul. Employees working 40+ hours a week want to find purpose in their work as well as have control over their
lifestyle.
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In my opinion, this is where gender does play a role. 52% of the workforce
today is female and this dynamic has altered employee motivation. It's not that
women are not interested in being rewarded for their work, but they want their
work to be rewarding. Women are more likely to look for the purpose in their
work.
It is the dramatic change in the makeup of the workforce that has changed not
how we lead, but why we lead.
I look forward to hearing your comments on your experience as a male or
female leader and/or manager. Now more than ever we need leaders and managers of both genders to lead America forward to the challenges of a global economy.
