Since the publication of two educational books in the 1990s on the characteristics of women's leadership, research has grown exponentially to explore the impact of cultural norms on female leaders. Studies have revealed that the risk-taking capacity, courage, confidence, and multitasking abilities of women like Olympia Snowe from Maine and Nancy Pelosi from California have been instrumental in their emergence as leaders. This has been shown to influence why women may be perceived less favorably than their male counterparts, especially in contexts where stereotypically masculine styles are preferred. Professor Judy Rosener discovered that men and women have distinctive leadership styles: men are more likely to see leadership as a sequence of transactions with others, while women are more transformative, using interpersonal skills to motivate followers rather than applying positional power or authority. According to an organization that promotes women in business and leadership, only 14.4% of executive positions in Fortune 500 companies are held by women, while men hold 85.6%. Hunt actively developed initiatives to include and empower women in emerging Eastern European democracies.
Research suggests that women may be more ethical than their male counterparts, which could explain why women tend to report wrongdoing more often. In the 1930s, when she was a missionary in China, Gladys Aylward led a campaign to end toe-tethering among women in Yungcheng, which helped to improve women's health. In a study, Miethe and Rothschild found that women were more likely than men to report unethical behavior and to use internal reporting channels to respond to violations. While women are occupying more management positions, they have yet to hold the highest executive leadership positions. The impact of cultural norms on female leadership is undeniable. Women face unique challenges when it comes to achieving success in traditionally male-dominated fields.
Despite the progress made in recent years, there is still much work to be done in order for female leaders to be seen as equals with their male counterparts.
