Female Management on the Rise

Nearly one in two Australians (49.3%) believe that the increasing number of women in leadership positions in the office is fundamentally changing the way we work by introducing a more feminine values in the workplace.

Males are refusing to accept the loss of their stronghold in the work environment with 46% of males saying the influx of female managers is not influencing the way they work, compared to only 30% of females.

Ms Susie Tooth of Talent2 says that even the big bosses have seen the writing on the wall. 65% of CEOs and MDs say the typical male management techniques are becoming outdated and are disappearing as females climb the corporate ladder.

"Typically male leaders act more like a drill-sergeant while females act more like a coach to their employees. Females, traditionally, are better communicators, use influencing skills rather than authority, are better team players, more readily show appreciation for the efforts of others and are more expressive of their thoughts and feelings than male managers."

"Many females feel they need to, or naturally do, employ male management techniques as there is a feeling they need to prove themselves, or to be part of a boys club. The jury is still out, and probably will be for a long time, on which management style is best."

"Male and female managers need to find a middle ground on management styles to keep their employees happy. Some may prefer a male style, while others might prefer a female style. At the end of the day, a large part of a managers job is to find and practice what works best for their staff."