Women Rising in Corporate Ranks

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The researchers discovered at the middle management level, on almost all of the 14 dimensions, female bosses were rated significantly higher than their male counterparts. The study found women bosses not only inspire others and resolve complex problems better than men, they're also more accessible. "And the surprising thing is, even men prefer women managers," Ms. Alimo-Metcalfe said in an interview yesterday."This is undoubtedly saying that women are much better managers than men."

Such findings are supported by University of Connecticut management professor Laura Graves who has researched gender and management extensively. Although hard evidence does not necessarily suggest a difference in management effectiveness on the basis of sex, she said this is changing.

In today's less hierarchical work environments where teamwork and interpersonal relations are becoming increasingly important, women exhibit qualities that make them better leaders than men. "Women are better at individual consideration, they're better at working with their subordinates, assessing his or her needs and helping them develop," she said. "We know that in these flat, non-hierarchical, team-oriented organizations of today, these are the type of behaviors that are important for effectiveness."