Are we still stereotyping leadership? A look at gender and other predictors of leader emergence

This study used both self-reported and group assessments of leader emergence in conjunction with descriptions of leader behavior to explore the relationship among gender, gender role, attitude, experience, and leader emergence. The results, as expected, indicated nonsignificant biological sex effects. Support was found for masculine and androgynous individuals emerging as leaders with greater frequency than feminine or undifferentiated individuals. Additionally, a masculine gender characteristics measure proved to be a significant predictor for self-reported leader emergence. Attitude toward leadership was a significant predictor for group-assessed leader emergence. The theoretical and practical implications of these findings are discussed.