Should Women Managers Have to Act like Men?

Abstract

Although getting along with people is just as important to being a good manager as being able to get the job done, according to the current stereotype the ideal manager is task‐oriented rather than person‐oriented. Here the importance of feminine qualities and interpersonal skills for managerial effectiveness are discussed. Interviews with 30 women managers illustrate the fact that women can approach management with a “masculine” (task‐oriented), “feminine” (people‐oriented), or an “androgynous” style which combines the two. The androgynous style is the one most likely to be successful.

Citation

Korabik, K. and Ayman, R. (1989), "Should Women Managers Have to Act like Men?", Journal of Management Development, Vol. 8 No. 6, pp. 23-32. https://doi.org/10.1108/EUM0000000001366