Is Transformational Leadership Always Perceived as Effective? Male Subordinates' Devaluation of Female Transformational Leaders¹

Abstract

This study investigated the impact of the gender composition of the leader–subordinate dyad on the relationship between leaders' transformational leadership behavior and their subordinates' ratings of the leaders' effectiveness. There were 109 dyads of leaders (58 male, 51 female) paired with a subordinate who was either the same or a different gender from themselves. The relationship between a leader's self‐report on transformational leadership and their subordinates' evaluation of their performance was significantly less positive for female leaders with male subordinates than for female leaders with female subordinates. The male and female subordinates of male leaders rated their performance as equally effective, regardless of their levels of transformational leadership.

The psychological consequences of power on self-perception: implications for leadership

“…Women may use interdependent self-construal as a way to conform to the expectations of gender roles, so as to show concern for others. Tension might also arise between men followers and female leaders as a result of the asymmetric consequences of power on self-construal, and the different types of leadership style primarily adopted by women, resulting in men followers evaluating female leaders less favourably (Ayman et al, 2009). …”

Women and leadership: Gender barriers to senior management positions

“…Algunos estudios afirman que las mujeres dirigen y lideran con formas más democráticas y participativas que los varones (Eagly & Carli, 2007;Van Engen & Willemsen, 2004). Igualmente, varios autores han planteado la idea de que las mujeres utilizan de manera más frecuente y efectiva que los líderes varones el estilo de liderazgo transformacional (Ayman, Korabik & Morris, 2009;Eagly, Johannesen-Schmidt & Van Engen., 2003).…”

Gender Role Self-Concept, Categorical Gender, and Transactional-Transformational Leadership

“…Finally, it has been argued that the numerical dominance of one gender group may affect the effectiveness of female and male leaders (Ayman, Korabik, & Morris, 2009;Eagly, Karau, & Makhijani, 1995). Our study was conducted in a business context, and thus it might be interesting to examine the combined effects of categorical gender, gender role self-concept and leadership style in sectors that are numerically female-dominated such as education and health.…”

“…Partialling out managers' Gender role self-concept, categorical gender, and leadership style 17 negative affectivity allowed us to address, at least in part, concerns regarding common method bias (Podsakoff, MacKenzie, Lee, & Podsakoff, 2003). Gender composition of workgroups was considered as a second control variable, because prior research has shown that subordinates' gender can affect the interrelation between the leadership behaviors of women and men and outcomes (Ayman, Korabik, & Morris, 2009). …”