Gender differences in leadership styles

Over the past two decades there is a debate about whether female and male managers have different leadership styles.

Though the early 1990s the research showed that there were no gender differences in leadership styles. Even though a lot of researches support the view that there are no gender differences in leadership styles, some differences were identified. Those differences were identified based on self-reported data collected from a sample of male and female accountants (Burke et al, https://www.emeraldinsight.com).

According to Powel (1993), intuitive reasoning suggest that early socialization patterns develop different qualities in women and men that would likely result in variations in leadership styles. The earlier research found a lack of for the notion that women utilize different leadership styles than do men (Bass, 1981) (Burke et al, https://www.emeraldinsight.com).

Hospitality Leadership

“A major influence on effective performance in the hospitality industry is the nature of the manager-subordinate relationship. This entails the process of leadership and the choice of an appropriate style of managerial behaviour” (Mullins, 1998, p.397).

A good manager should have solid character traits, leadership skills and good management ethics. The good question is: “What is the difference between managing and leading?”

One leadership teacher defined it as follows:

(https://jan.ucc.nau.edu/~ha100c-c/class/management/leadership/lesson1-2-1.html)

In the beginning of development of the hospitality industry, when a lot of the hospitality organizations were family owned, leadership was associated with ownership. However, with a growth of hospitality organizations, a more broadly based approach to the appointment and development of leaders were needed. According to Walker, “the real key to leadership involves developing appropriate personality characteristics and the talents of other members of the organization” (Mullins, 1998, p. 403).

Moreover, “Walker identifies some of the most important indicators of the appropriate temperament for leadership:

· Self-control (leaders should be above average in their ability to exercise self-control).

· Sense of value (respect the intangible, spiritual side of life).

· Drive (a strong drive is an advantage in any assignment).

· Moodiness (the manager should be optimistic, cheerful and generally capable of maintaining morale and team spirit).

· Sensitivity (the one who is sensitive to himself is sensitive and to others, so have a high potential to managerial success).

· Defence of ideas (managers should be willing and able to support and defend their own ideas).

· Self-awareness (the person needing less recognition for individual contribution is more successful for managerial success).

· Balance (the ability to defend their ideas and a low degree of self-consciousness, coupled with a high degree of sensitivity to other people) (Mullins, 1998, p.403).

According to Mullins, a number of recent articles showed that the hospitality industry had occurred a dramatic change and that the importance and benefits of transformational leadership are more obvious.

“A lot of researches show that demographic style of leadership is more likely to produce effective performance from work groups. Also a human relations, people oriented approach is more likely to lead to job satisfaction and group cohesiveness” (Mullins, 1998, p.424).

However, it is not always that demographic ways of leadership are the best. Sometimes, it happens that autocratic style of leadership is more effective.

“There is no one best style of leadership which will result in the maintenance of morale among the group members and high work performance. There are many variables, which underlie the effectiveness of managerial leadership in the hospitality industry, including:

· The type and nature of establishment, its goals and objectives, and the organizational culture and climate

· The characteristic of the manager, personality, attitudes, abilities, value system and personal credibility

· The characteristics of subordinates, their needs and expectations, motivation and commitment, and their knowledge, confidence and experience

· The basis of the leadership relationship and the type of power and influence

· The relationships between the manager and the group, and among members of the group

· The type of problem and nature of the manager’s decisions

· The nature of the tasks to be achieved, the extend to which they are structured or routine, the technology and work organization

· The organization structure and systems of management

· The nature and influence of the external environment” (Mullins, 1998, p.424).

Conclusion

In this work a lot of theories of leadership were covered. Despite it, the leadership issue still remains not well understood. Leaders have to be aware of the times, because they are changing faster than we can imagine. Leaders’ knowledge and practice must accommodate themselves to these changes if they do not want to be left behind (https://www.emeraldinsight.com).