By Kelley Reynard

Women have become more prevalent in management and leadership positions over the last two decades, sparking research interest about whether there are significant differences in how women and men lead. An article from Business Insider provides insight into the research that was conducted with 16,000 leaders across a variety of industries in 2011 and 2012, of which two-thirds were male and one-third were women. The tool used in the research was the 360 degree assessment, designed to gather feedback from the leader’s subordinates, colleagues, supervisors (if appropriate), and a self-evaluation. The results may come as a surprise to some; women’s overall leadership effectiveness was considered greater than men’s; 54.5 per cent and 51.8 per cent respectively.

To determine the underlying causes of this variation between women and men’s leadership effectiveness and the reasons behind the stark differences, the researchers talked directly to the women involved in the study. What they found was that women believed they had to perform twice as well to be thought half as good. They also felt they could never make a mistake to receive the same recognition and rewards and be thought of as a competent leader. Moreover, the practice of self-development and continually asking for feedback to improve performance was more evident in women after the age of 40 who continue to maintain taking action to improve. In addition, of the 16 leadership competencies measured by the 360 degree feedback tool, women were scored higher on 12 of these, with large differences noted in the competencies “Takes Initiative”, and “Displays High Integrity and Honesty”. The research further broke the findings down into the various functional areas within the organisation, as well as the different levels of the organisation.

Business Insider anticipates that these findings will assure organisations that they need not fear when considering appointing women in senior leadership roles.

To access the full article and the research findings, please click the following link http://www.businessinsider.com/study-women-are-better-leaders-2014-1?IR=T