Leadership and Gender

A leader should constantly strive to be more well-rounded. Leadership skills should be a toolbox from which we select the tool most appropriate to the situation, not simply the tool that feels most comfortable in our grasp. Let’s explore ways to expand our abilities as a leader. Think back to two leaders from your own personal experience, one who exemplifies typical “male” leadership traits and one who exemplifies typical “female” leadership traits. (Please note that the “male” leader does not have to be male and the “female” leader does not have to be female; we are examining leadership traits, not gender.) Please explain each of their leadership styles and describe how they exhibited these characteristics. Next, identify your own leadership gender. Select the leader who is the opposite of your own leadership gender. What can you learn from his/her approach, and how could you integrate his/her leadership traits into your own emerging leadership style?