New research from Florida State University’s College of Business challenges long-standing assumptions about gender and leadership. The study finds that women consistently receive higher ratings than men across nearly all effective leadership styles.

The findings suggest that women excel not just in so-called nontraditional or relational approaches but also in leadership styles traditionally seen as assertive or task-focused. “Our results are striking,” the researchers note. “Women are more likely to be evaluated as engaging in effective leadership behaviors.”

The study analyzed leadership evaluations over five decades, drawing from both published and unpublished data in major databases. It assessed a range of leadership styles, including transformational, transactional, ethical, democratic, and autocratic approaches. Over the period studied, the proportion of women in management roles has grown from 15% to 40% in the U.S., with women now holding 29% of senior management positions worldwide.

Poor performance

Interestingly, men scored higher only in passive management—a hands-off style generally considered less effective. Women outperformed men not only in communal traits, such as relationship-building, but also in assertive behaviors like offering performance-based rewards and enforcing organizational structure.

Despite these strengths, women remain underrepresented in leadership positions, holding just 7% of CEO roles in the S&P 1500. The findings challenge stereotypes that associate men with assertiveness and women with relational skills, showing instead that women are recognized as effective across a wide spectrum of leadership behaviors.

“If women are demonstrating these effective leadership styles and being acknowledged for them, why aren’t they reaching top leadership roles in greater numbers?” the researchers ask. They call for further investigation to uncover the barriers preventing women from achieving the career outcomes their leadership effectiveness suggests they deserve.