Over at The Scientist, Edyta Zielinska examines whether women make more effective lab leaders than men, or if they are more critical of female subordinates — and therefore poorer mangers. In referencing a 2009 New York Times article, "No Doubts: Women are Better Managers," Zielinska says that in the lab setting, this may "possibly" hold true. For example, "there are also signs that women may excel at a new leadership style," she writes. According to The Scientist, research shows that employees value leaders who innovate, mentor, and push employees to develop their strengths. "In a meta-analysis of leadership styles, women made up 52.5 percent of the above-average transformational leaders, while men comprised 47.5 percent," Zielinska writes. Alice Eagly, professor of psychology at Northwestern University tells The Scientist that the new definition of effective leadership "is not necessarily feminine, but it's more androgynous," and employs less of a "top down, tell-everyone-what-to-do approach."
The piece also suggests that women "check your gender biases," and offers tips for female employers and employees alike.