Study: MT/Institute of Leadership and Management (ILM)’s Index of Leadership Trust (FreshMinds Consultants, 2010)
Finding: Female CEO’s are gaining trust and proving competent, and it isn’t because they’re more empathetic, but likely because they are more meticulous in their methodologies.
InPower Insight: Increase your knowledge and understanding of your employees day to day lives and obstacles and you’ll increase their trust in your ability to be their CEO.
Summary:
Good news for women CEO’s (and aspiring ones), a research survey concludes that both female and male managers, as well as employees (both women and men) are showing increased trust in their female CEO’s and believing them to be more competent than their male counterparts.
According to the MT/Institute of Leadership and Management (ILM)’s Index of Leadership Trust survey, trust in female CEOs was higher than that of male CEOs. In this study an Index of Leadership Trust survey was given and 5,000 people polled (2405 managers, 2595 non-managers). The results showed that the overall CEO index was up four points and that women CEO’s were once again rated with a higher overall index of trust than male CEO’s. The most notable finding seen in this study was the increase in trust between male employees and their female CEO’s with a jump of 8 index points from last year’s survey.
It is believed that this rise in trust in female CEO’s is due to several factors. Women rated higher than men when it came to employees having confidence in their bosses ability to do the job as well as female CEO’s being more honest and principled than male CEO’s. Women scored higher in these areas than men by two and three index points. It seems, however, that what really sets women CEO’s apart is their ability to know and understand what their employees are up against, and have to contend with on a day to day basis. In this area women rated higher than men by 7 index points. This seems to be attributed to the fact that female CEOs tend to have stronger relationships with employees and are more in tune to their daily struggles. Female CEOs are much more aware of their employees problems. In times of turmoil in the workplace, such as downsizing, women CEOs are certainly more understanding. However, researcher for ILM Penny de Valk suggests not relying on the stereotype that women are more empathetic. She says that women are simply more meticulous and are less likely to act unless they are absolutely sure of their decision and have considered all the possible outcomes.
Career Coaching Tip: Get to know your employees at whatever level they are at. Be aware of what their job entails and what their daily struggles are. Build relationships and have a presence with them so that they in turn can build trust in you to lead the company. People skills are a vital part of any executives job and that includes your managers and employees. Your thoroughness in this area will be rewarded with trust in your leadership abilities.
Keywords: Downsizing, Female CEO, Gender Stereotype, Trust
Guide to Women in Leadership
Organizations with women in their executive suites regularly out-perform others. Yet rising female executives (and their mentors) are frustrated at how hard it is to break through the glass ceiling. In this extensive guide, Executive Coach Dana Theus shares her tried and true strategies to help women excel into higher levels of leadership and achieve their executive potential.
