WOMEN IN LEADERSHIP ROLES – A PERSPECTIVE

Dr. Nandakumar K
LPSC,ISRO,
Valiamala, Trivandrum 695 547

Leadership is the ability to pull together a group of people, who may not have anything in

common, and getting them to work together as a team and achieve extraordinary results. We

address the questions-Is the gender of the leader important? Are there any differences between

women leaders and men leaders? Throughout history there have been women in leadership

roles in many fields and some of them have been very strong and effective leaders who have

changed the course of history and contributed significantly towards the advancement and

progress of the human race. In this paper we will briefly look at the achievements of leaders like

Cleopatra and Nefertiti of Egypt, Elizabeth I and Margaret Thatcher of Britain, Golda Meir of

Israel, Indira Gandhi of India, Sirimavo Bandaranaike of Srilanka who stand out as shining

examples of effective leaders who have made a difference in this world. We will try to identify

those leadership qualities that made these persons extraordinary leaders.

Research has shown that when women are present in significant numbers in

leadership roles, the bottom line improves — from financial profits to the quality

and scope of decision making. This paper will try to address the question of whether gender

is important in leadership and try to identify the unique qualities of female leadership that the

most effective women leaders possess and why they are unique to women. People respond

differently to women leaders and men leaders. This paper will also try to identify the ways in

which such responses affect women’s leadership and suggest some solutions to smooth the

way for future women leaders.

Contact:Ph:0471-2567794, email:nandakumar.kalyan@hotmail.com