Female Supremacy Articles

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"Women came out quite well," explained Eagly, adding that this is the first time such a comprehensive study has been undertaken. "It's more than merely being collaborative. It's everything."

The findings prompt the question: Why aren't women breaking into the upper tier of corporate America?

"The evidence suggests that women should be rising at least as fast as men , if not faster, and that's just not happening." Indeed, 30 years after women started moving into the workforce in record numbers, the number who have climbed the ladder is barely measurable. Only 6 percent of the Fortune 500's top jobs, those of senior vice president and above, are held by women.

Some believe that dissecting the differences between men and women is divisive and ultimately not very instructive.

"Aren't we a little beyond this?" asked an annoyed Janelle Taylor, an administrative assistant for a Chicago brokerage firm. "Wretched bosses can be found in both sexes."

But the researchers found the differences undeniable, said Eagly, whose co-investigators included Mary C. Johannesen-Schmidt and Marloes L. van Engen of Tilburg University in the Netherlands.

Specifically, female executives were more likely to be "transformational" leaders, defined as those who mentor, inspire and foster innovation and teamwork, which are the kind of skills that have been shown to strengthen contemporary organizations.