Leadership Factors Related to Conventional/ Nonconventional Leadership Styles Perceived By Male/Female Leaders

OBJECTIVE
To determine whether traditional leadership practices differed from nontraditional leadership practices in relation to the sex of the leader.

METHODOLOGY
The sample involved 250 men and a similar number of women managers selected from a population of five Southern California companies ("a major computer firm, two major aerospace corporations, a computer supply company, and a radio and aerospace parts report corporation"). Seventy-three people responded (14.6% response rate); 32 men and 41 women. The Leadership Opinion Questionnaire (Fleishman, 1960)--assessing consideration and structure--was used to measure traditional leadership. The LPI was used to assess nontraditional leadership factors. Various demographic information was also collected.

KEY FINDINGS
No significant differences in either traditional or nonconventional leadership behaviors were found between male and female respondents. Initiating Structure was significantly (p < .05) correlated with Challenging the Process, Modeling the Way, and Encouraging the Heart. Initiating Consideration was significantly (p < .01) correlated with Modeling the Way and Inspiring a Shared Vision.

There were no significant differences on the LPI by respondent age or marital status. Higher educational levels were associated with greater use of Enabling Others to Act and Encouraging the Heart. Those with greater amounts of management training were more likely to Enable Others to Act than were those with less managerial training experiences. Finally, the only LPI dimension to vary by respondent position was Inspiring a Shared Vision, with those at higher levels reporting more frequency with this practice than their lower level counterparts.