Male vs Female Managers

KSR6450

What is your take on this? In HR we often get to see the end result of both male and female management styles.

[I]Do Women Make Better Managers?[/I]

"Recent studies point out that while both male and female styles of leadership can be effective, "female" frequently has the edge."

[URL]http://businessonmain.msn.com/knowledgeexchange/articles/managingpeople.aspx?cp-documentid=19055985&source=msneditorial&GT1=25049[/URL]

Paul in Cannon Beach

The article (witten by a woman) seemed a little breathless to me. There is a section where the article lists "female leadership strengths" and includes "Women identify problems more quickly and more accurately." Really? That jumped out at me. I would say the ability to recognize problems quickly is a personality (driver/choleric) style more than a gender issue.

The author also seems to have left out one skill that I think its fair to say men have in greater quantities than women and that is the ability to compartmentalize. Men can argue in a meeting and then walk out and go grab lunch with little emotional residue.

Clearly, there are skilled women managers but I think this article overstates any advantage they may have over men.

KSR6450

Thanks Paul, I was hoping for male input on this. When the author started off with the caveat about "sweeping statements presented as general truths but based on limited or incomplete evidence" I had a feeling it would be slanted to back her stand and that was true; although I believed some of the points were interesting.

NaeNae55

Interesting article. It does throw a disclaimer out at the beginning warning you that it would be generalized. Still, the points made were interesting. I felt many of them were right on target, though not all of them. For instance, it said women were better at empowering employees. I think it would be fairer to say that women worked harder, and more often, at empowering employees. Our culture is still such that a man trying to empower employees is usually more successful )and more quickly.) It is just seen less often.

Just my 2 cents.

Paul in Cannon Beach

I will say this. When I attend conferences for HR managers, I am often one of the only men there. For whatever reason, HR has a high percentage of female managers. I think you could argue that the skill sets useful for HR are possibly more prevalent in females.

ACU Frank

The 'feeder' positions for HR Manager are dominated by females - payroll, benefits admin, admin asst, etc.

Paul in Cannon Beach

"feeder" positions?

ACU Frank

Feeder positions... those positions that someone might typically hold before moving into an HR Manager role.

KSR6450

Aw shucks, I thought it would be something more interesting

Paul in Cannon Beach

Yes, I agree. A dissapointing and non-ire raising explanation. "Feeder" sounded like it had possibilities of being offensive, insulting, and possibly sexist.

ACU Frank

So you thought my feeder would be your fodder?

Sharon McKnight SPHR

Frank,

Your facetious, fanatical, flawless, fertilizer forces me to forgo my frivolous feebleness forthwith.

Sharon

KSR6450

[quote=Paul in Cannon Beach;716006]Yes, I agree. A dissapointing and non-ire raising explanation. "Feeder" sounded like it had possibilities of being offensive, insulting, and possibly sexist.[/quote]
Yeah, I really expected more from Frank. And did he say that women dominate?
I hope he's feeling okay.

FYI The new board does not translate well on a Blackberry.

ACU Frank

Sharon - That's an awful lot of F-words. This is a family-friendly forum!

oops... that's three more...

Sharon McKnight SPHR

. . . . . . .

Paul in Cannon Beach

Clearly men and women are equally silly.

Sharon McKnight SPHR

That goes without saying!