In
decades of analyzing exceptional leadership, John Zenger and Joseph Folkman
have identified 16 traits required for success. These include integrity,
initiative, self-development, problem solving and a drive for results. Zenger
and Folkman have made their names and their business by designing powerful
tools to test for these qualities and to develop them in high potential
executives. That's given them the data to analyze where the qualities are most
likely to be found. With regards to the differences in effectiveness between
male and female leaders, the results were striking: Women outscore men in
leadership effectiveness.
Dr.
Jack Zenger that this is due primarily to a change in leadership styles. Moving
from a command-and-control style of leadership to a more collaborative model
plays, he argues, to women's strengths. Women are better listeners, better at
building relationships and more collaborative and that, he argues, makes them
better adapted to the demands of modern leadership. For that reason, Zenger
concludes, there is no good reason not to promote women.
Asked
to explain, therefore, why women have not fared better in the corporate
hierarchy, he is at somewhat of a loss. Thirty six percent of men say they want
to be CEO, where only 18 percent of women say they do. Women have two jobs --
the notorious second shift at home -- while men, well, do not do quite so much.
And Zenger thinks also that boards simply lack confidence in women. Few have
ever seen a female CEO and do not recognize that, as Zenger says, women perform
better. His message to corporate boards around the world is: Don't worry. Not
only can women cope; they'll do better.
None
of this is really new. But Zenger/Folkman's diagnostic tools are widely used
and respected. They are driven by statistics, not an agenda. And one can't help
but feel that even Zenger is a little surprised by his own findings. So the
data is useful and important. The explanation of the data, however, leaves room
for reflection. The last time I attended a corporate event on this topic, the
senior partner of the firm sat through a number of presentations. At the end of
the day, he came up to thank me but seemed full of frustration. "The
problem is," he sighed, "we just can't get the women to change."
On Zenger/Folkman's data, he should not want to.
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