Female leaders were found to demonstrate more TL than male leaders (28-30). And also collaborated in
more of the contingent reward behaviors that are basic parts of transactional leadership. Male leaders were
generally more likely to manifest the other aspects of transactional leadership and laissez-faire leadership (31). A
study by (21) found that women make better political leaders than men. However, based on his study of 2,250
adults, a mere 6% of respondents agree.
Women leaders are more transformational than male leaders and greater use of contingent reward and their
lesser use of unfavorable management by–exclusion and Laissez–faire style should reinforce organizational
effectiveness. These results resonate with the need to be aware that journalists think that women may be better
managers than men. Researchers found that the advantages of female leadership style are offset especially by
men giving women power over others in the workplace and social places as well (32). Furthermore, (31) conducted
a meta-analysis of 45 studies of TL, transactional, and laissez-faire leadership styles, the results revealed that
female leaders were more transformational than male leaders in their leadership styles (33).
The path to leadership for women is steep with many obstacles. There remain important barriers for women
in navigating their careers. The "glass ceiling" is a metaphor for the barriers women encounter when trying to attain
positions of leadership (25)."I have both a brain and a uterus, and they both work" (34) is a volatile statement and
many more such exchanges have been made by women managers in response to their inability to reach higher
levels of management. Investigation of glass ceiling suggests that beliefs and attitudes held by organizational
members, i.e. women are not viewed as leaders, are experienced by many women in management. A scarcity of
attributed to the glass ceiling effect. It is argued by researchers that women may not create the glass ceiling but
help maintain it (35). In addition, (36) claimed glass ceiling is one key barrier that impedes the career advancement
of women in organizations cross nationally, providing one explanation as to why the number of women in senior
positions is less than that of men.