XX v. XY, Who Makes Better Managers?

We all at some point, particularly if you've been through any business/psychology/communication study track, that "leadership" and "management" are different. Their difference is an entire blog post unto itself, however - i'm talking about the latter. Who makes better managers, women or men, and WHY?

I ran across an interesting piece off of the NYT Business section which followed later with some excerpts from some of the social psychologists, researchers, and academics in the field of management. There is a large consensus on the stereotypical concepts of managerial style based on gender. Men are more risk taking, women build and harbour relationships, men like to hear themselves speak and purge ideas more readily onto the table, women welcome opinions and ideas from others before hankering down their own, women are less likely to make bold and rash decisions. There are reasons for all of these stereotypes many of which stem from historical imbalances and of course emotional and psychological differences between genders.

I hope we can all agree of the truth is what is known as the "glass ceiling." Though many acknowledge the theory, some are less willing to accept its effects. It has been, it is, and it will be a hindrance on upward movement and the ability for a woman to act as boldly as a man would in fear of losing respect and more damningly their job in the event of any mistake. Leora Tanenbaum, author of Catfight: Rivalries Among Women... states, "The best managers, female or male, are those who admit that the corporate structure favors men and who recognize their responsibility to help others follow in their footsteps." Egh, great, but it doesn't say much about why or how gender differences may play a role in successful management. Ultimately with all the research out there, I haven't come across ONE blanket statement on which gender breeds "better managers."

I don't think anyone can make such a bold assessment nor can any research confirm or deny any hypothesis. We can invest as much time and money as afforded toward this question, but it'd be a wasted effort because no one gender carries a greater level of management than the other. Each is naturally equipped with advantages and disadvantages that prescribe successful management practices. Women may feel the pressure of some assertions because on the whole they have not caught up to the positions of power and authority that men have privileged since the beginning of society. Of course we see female politicians, executives, academicians, etc. but continue to look around and the statistics are dauntingly skewed and still will be. As we push forward in time we'll see more women climb into positions of managerial prowess as my generation and that ahead of me will be offered more opportunities for women to gain experience and support to boost their promotional credibility. Until then, I wince at any conclusion from any study on who makes better managers. We can have preferences, we can make assessments based on styles and personalities, but we cannot make conclusions.