How do women lead? What does the literature say? : a study of women leading women in independent schools

This paper examines the ways in which women lead women in independent schools. The intention is to develop a paradigm of female leadership style in education rather than pursuing the two existing threads of discussion: leadership as a male paradigm and as a comparative study between the genders. Essentially, the literature argues that women adopt a ‘transformational’ leadership style and that their style is modified by factors such as organisational climate, socialisation both at work and in general and organisational demographics. Discussion of the need to develop an ‘androgynous’ or ‘bi-gendered’ style is considered as women see the need to be consistent with gender expectations as well as develop strength as leaders. The development of a female paradigm of leadership is an important step in recognising that research into women in leadership is not a discussion about limitations but about opportunity and organisational health.