LEADERSHIP CHARACTERISTICS, STYLES, AND GENDER: PERCEPTIONS IN THE ORGANIZATIONAL CONTEXT
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.56238/revgeov17n6-022Keywords:
Gender, Leadership, Leadership Characteristics, Leadership StylesAbstract
In the organizational context, leadership is considered one of the fundamental elements for the performance of teams and companies, especially in collaborative contexts. Given the advancement of discussions on diversity and equity, understanding how leadership styles and characteristics are perceived in relation to gender has become increasingly relevant. Although leadership is constantly investigated in the literature, there are still gaps regarding the influence of gender on perceptions of leaders in everyday organizational life. In this sense, this study aimed to analyze the perceptions of employees of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) about leadership styles and characteristics attributed to men and women, contributing to the debate on gender stereotypes and leadership. The research was guided by the following questions: Is the perceived leadership style associated with the leader's gender? Do perceptions of leadership reproduce gender stereotypes or reflect individual characteristics of leaders? The theoretical framework was based on studies on gender stereotypes and leadership, especially on Social Role Theory, which explains how social expectations shape leadership evaluations. This study adopted a quantitative, exploratory, and descriptive approach, using a survey applied to 207 employees of SMEs in Santa Catarina. Data were collected through a structured questionnaire and statistically analyzed. The results revealed that, of the 30 leadership characteristics evaluated, 18 were predominantly associated with women, eight with men, and four were considered neutral. Women were associated, among other characteristics, with empathy, compassion, emotional intelligence, resilience, and determination, while men remained associated, among others, with authoritarianism and hierarchy. The findings indicate the persistence of gender stereotypes, but also signs of transformation in the perception of female leadership, suggesting a greater appreciation of competencies historically associated with women.
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