Female Supremacy Articles - Page 4

Screen 2 of 13

"I think men need to think seriously about whether the style they have of managing is the appropriate style," she said.

Since 1998, Professor Alimo-Metcalfe and colleagues have been developing a vision of what constitutes a good leader.

After consulting thousands of people of both sex and different races in Britain, her team drew up a list of 14 attributes.

Some 2000 managers working for the NHS and councils were then asked to rate their own bosses in these areas. When it came to valuing individuals, encouraging change, acting with integrity, being decisive, inspiring others, resolving complex problems, networking and achieving, focusing effort, building shared vision, supporting development and facilitating change, women received a significantly better seal of approval from their subordinates.

Professor Alimo-Metcalfe said the survey suggested women were more "transformational" leaders while men were more "transactional".

However, the male chief executives who took part did not believe women had a different management style from their own - perhaps explaining why most chiefs are men.

Professor Alimo-Metcalfe said: "Unfortunately we do not usually ask subordinates who would make the best manager when we promote people. The people who make the decisions are senior people. If they are men who do not value transformational styles of leadership, then they are more likely to promote one of their own."