The world has just witnessed the overwhelming defeat of Kamala Harris in the US election. In 2016, Hillary Clinton became the first woman in the US to win the popular vote, but this still wasn’t enough to secure the White House. In her concession speech, Clinton stated, “I know we have still not shattered that highest and hardest glass ceiling, but someday someone will.”

While the number of women in leadership roles is increasing, progress remains slow. Only 11% of FTSE 100 CEOs are women, and according to the UN, gender equality in the highest positions of power will not be achieved for another 130 years at the current rate. Furthermore, just 20% of presiding officers in parliaments worldwide are women.

In 2020, Smith et al. published a fascinating study examining female leadership in the animal kingdom to uncover insights that could help level the playing field for human leadership. The authors highlighted that attitudes about female leaders often reflect societal biases rather than actual performance. Prejudicial evaluations frequently cast women as less assertive, competitive, or independent than their male counterparts.

This bias extends to how women are perceived. For example, studies have found that people tend to prefer male voices over female ones—a phenomenon that famously led Margaret Thatcher to undergo voice coaching to sound less “shrill.” Men, too, are penalised for displaying traditionally feminine traits such as care and empathy, creating a rigid framework for leadership expectations.

What was the study?

The study focused on species with clearly defined leadership systems, identifying 8 out of 76 species with strong female leadership. This rarity—just 10% of the observed species—mirrors societal challenges in human leadership structures.

The findings revealed that primates, including monkeys, apes, and lemurs, predominantly exhibit masculine leadership, reflecting human preferences for male authority figures. Physical size was also identified as a barrier to female leadership, with smaller figures often failing to command the same level of authority.

Interestingly, female leadership tended to emerge in contexts requiring collective decision-making. For example, adult females with dependents often lead in species that rely on cooperative movement. In the human realm, mothers play a similar leadership role within families, but this critical skill set is rarely recognised or valued in professional settings.

Strong female leaders were more likely to succeed when they formed coalitions with others. Women’s leadership styles often centre on collaboration and uniting people around shared goals while navigating differences. This cooperative approach can be particularly effective in times of conflict.

Physical presence also plays a significant role in perceptions of leadership. Amy Cuddy’s research on body language highlights the importance of taking up space. In the human context, women are encouraged to “make themselves bigger” to project authority. The contrast between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump during their election debates exemplifies this: Trump’s looming presence often overshadowed Clinton, both physically and metaphorically.

Finally, the study suggested that women are, on average, less motivated to engage in winner-take-all competitions for high-status positions. Those who do often feel pressure to adopt masculine traits to succeed, which can perpetuate a culture that discourages broader female participation.

What does this tell us about workplace culture?

The study demonstrates clear differences in how men and women lead, with feminine leadership often facing systemic challenges in human societies. At the same time, women’s collaborative and inclusive styles, whilst undervalued, have the potential to unite teams and deliver exceptional outcomes.

Organisations that fail to recognise and embrace these differences risk creating workplaces where conflict and stress persist, ultimately affecting business performance. By fostering an inclusive culture and creating space for diverse leadership approaches, organisations can unlock the full potential of their workforce and achieve greater harmony and success.

From this study, we can see that:

1) There are clear differences in the leadership of men and women with challenges for a typically feminine approach within human society. At the same time, there is evidence of key strengths in women’s leadership which, whilst appearing to be a softer approach, has the power to unite and support.

2) A lack of awareness of differences and the inability to create space for feminine approaches can lead to conflict in the workplace and significant challenges (and stress) for women leaders which ultimately impacts business performance.

3) Organisations that are serious about increasing female representation within their organisations, need to be aware of differences to support colleagues and ensure harmony so that colleagues can focus all of their efforts on achieving success. 

If you’d like support in increasing gender awareness and creating an inclusive culture, contact us for tailored advice and solutions.

Image: Tumisu via Pixabay