‘Alpha females’ less likely to succeed if they are ballsy in boardroom

Working women copying aggressive management styles often deliver the opposite effect.

Researchers at the University of London have indicated that when female bosses try to act like a man and copy aggressive management styles it actually has the opposite effect – with staff working under the so-called ”alpha females” less likely to co-operate to get results.

They found that women in the boardroom who suppress their natural skills in dealing with people can become confrontational,and would fare better from drawing on typical feminine qualities of sensitivity and good communication.

The researchers studied the management styles of senior professionals within five NHS hospitals but say their findings could be applied to any profession.

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Their results showed that some senior female managers had moved away from what was called healthy assertiveness and were instead attempting to emulate aggressive male models.

The best managers had more emotional intelligence, the Daily Mail quoted Professor Paula Nicolson,from the University of London,as saying. But women who were trying to behave like they thought men behaved were the ones who got it wrong.

Its almost like women feel they must act like a man and overly develop traits often associated with power-hungry City traders. This is understandable,because previously leaders have been male.

But women’s leadership style ought to come into its own when dealing with people and displaying skills in communication,judgment,sensitivity and psychological insight all traits needed to be a good leader, added Nicolson.