An exploratory study on the leadership style preferences of male and female managers: Implications on team performance

Despite the fact that women earn almost half of degrees awarded in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics), these fields are still perceived to be male-dominated. In efforts to promote gender diversity and inclusion, an increasing number of companies are implementing programs such as Northrup Grumman´s STEM Connector program, and Intel´s Women Principal Engineers and Fellows Forum. These gender diversity and inclusion initiatives raise several debates on gender and leadership - are there key differences between the leadership styles of male managers versus women managers in STEM fields? What contributions do women´s leadership styles bring to strategic decision making positions in the engineering and scientific workplace? Using Bass and Avolio´s transformational leadership style model, this exploratory study aims to revisit the on-going debate on gender and leadership styles in STEM fields. The implications of the study offer insights for current and future technology leaders in managing an increasingly diverse workforce.