Differences in Leadership Styles Between Genders: Outcomes and Effectiveness on Team Success

The overall research problem addressed in this study is the gender role expectations of leaders and the undervaluation of women leaders. It is important for organizations and followers to understand that women can be as or more effective than men leaders. The purpose of this research was to examine the different leadership styles between men and women that promoted the success of a team, guided by Relational-Cultural Theory (RCT), which holds that that people develop gender role expectations of others behavior based on a sex-based division of labor. The foundation of this study was leadership theory that includes that trait, behavior, and power can explain who some leaders succeed and other leaders fail. The study used a quantitative ex post facto research design, with data, including demographic descriptive data. The MLQ revealed the leaders leadership style. The Team Excellence and Collaborative Team Leader Questionnaire measured efficiency and success of the leader in completing the research activity. An independent-samples t-test was conducted to determine if there was a difference between genders with respect to leadership styles. The results of the t-test showed a significant difference in the leadership styles based on gender. The female leadership style tends to be transformational and the male leadership style is most likely transactional. An ANOVA was also used to determine if there was a difference among three leadership styles with respect to team success. The results of the ANOVA were statistically significant and indicated greater team success when the leadership was either transactional or transformational, than authoritative. There was no difference in team success between transformational-led and transactional-led teams