Contextual Aspects of Gender Stereotypes in Leadership: The Role of Success or Failure in Management

This study advance research on the think manager–think male paradigm by analysing the influence of performance information (success vs. failure), on task- and relationship-oriented leadership styles, and on three evaluative and behavioural measures. ased on the theoretical framework of think manager–think male, the present study examines the extent to which information about successful or failed company performance affects: (a) leadership styles (task and relationship), (b) overall assessment of male and female leaders, (c) assignment of responsibility for the results, and (d) disposition to replace male and female leaders. In a quasi-experimental study (N = 106 workers) with a 2 (success vs. failure) x 2 (male vs. female leader) design the aforementioned variables were analyzed. Results show that company performance has an impact on all outcome variables. However, this pattern affects male leaders in a different way than female leaders. Overall, male leaders are assessed more or less positively, depending on the outcome of performance results. For female leaders, company performance has no significant impact on perceptual (task- and relationship-oriented leadership style) and behavioral (replacement) measures, but it does on evaluative measures (performance assessment and attribution of responsibility), although to a lesser extent than for male leaders. In sum, performance assessment is influenced not only by company performance but also by the gender of the manager. Overall, men receive better evaluations than women in the success condition, but their evaluation is worse in cases of failure. These results fit with gender stereotypes; more power is attributed to men, who are considered more responsible for company results. This does not happen in the case of women managers who are perceived as less responsible for successes and failures