Women and Leadership: The State of Play and Strategies for Change

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OVERCOMING RESISTANCE TO WOMEN LEADERS

The Importance of Leadership Style

Linda L. Carli, Alice H. Eagly

Women have more access to leadership in organizations than ever before. In the United States about one-quarter of all chief executive positions are held by women. And women have at least half ownership of nearly 50 percent of all privately held U.S. firms.¹ Nevertheless, women continue to be rare at the top of the largest corporations. Indeed, in the Fortune 500, women hold less than 2 percent of the CEO positions and are 16 percent of corporate officer positions.² Impediments to women's leadership still exist and slow women's advancement to positions at the highest levels of power and authority. Women who advance must work harder and negotiate ...