Profile of Women Leaders

Leadership is based on two words, "pressure andseriously so they have to push and make
support"and that the leadership is the power tothemselves known to the world and allow the
influence people to move in a direction that youworld to see their capabilities while male owners
believe in your heart is a good direction for mostdon't have to worry about the struggle of fitting
people" (Fennell, 1999, p. 267). Adams and Yoderin and trying to live and work up to societies
noted that "evidence from contemporary studiesstandards because since they are men they are
on sex-roles and leadership indicates that men andalready have the macho man persona and the
women, with similar education, career aspirationsalterego that men have.2. Women have to fight
and training, have basically identical scores onharder and be stronger if they want to live and
measures of psychological masculinity andwork in a man's world you have to adopt to the
femininity." In other words, the traits we assumesurronding don't expect a man to be a gentlmen
are important in good leadership can be foundand hold the door open for you, don't expect him
among people of both genders.What makes ato do anything out of the ordinary that a man
leader is a complex question. It includes factorswould do for a female because in a sense you
from the environment in which an individual wasshould be getting treated like his fellow
raised, his or her family situation, and his or hercounterparts and not expect differently. In order
personality traits. . The following discussion is ato fit in with the men you have to in a sense
summary of my own observations plus some ofthink, work and act like them meaning don't think
the conclusions of othersAccording to anthat they will treat you like the female you are.
overview of research conducted by me ,womenYou have to be strong not every man that you
are a fast-growing segment of the businessencounter will treat you like this but in order to
community worldwide. The leadershipshow off your strengths you should expect this.3.
characteristics required to make a success in thisIt's extremely obvious that women have come a
new reality are very much "femininelong way as successful professionals. Life in the
characteristics". These characteristics include:1)workplace has become much more diversified as
Self-confidence, an independent mind-set and aan increased number of women have made their
willingness to take riskspresence felt in many industries and professions.
2) Ability to balance work and family (most areThe female task force has expanded with
married)exponential strength, and thus has its dire
3) Self-confidence, an independent mind-set and aimportance in the professional world. Whether
willingness to take risksthey like it or not, men have to accept, once and
4) About 40 to 60 years oldfor all, that women are marching up the
5) Well educated with high skills in managementcorporate ladder confidently and with full speed
and entrepreneurshipahead.4. Women used to be much more "quiet
6) Integration of personal and professionand passive" in the workplace due to the relatively
7) Intuitionsmall number of female employees in comparison
8) Social skillsto males. Women today, on the other hand, have
9) Directionbegun assuming their positions by using all their
10) -Hires competent, trustworthy people (notGod given powers of intelligence and organization.
putting priority on loyalty)Warren Farrell, author of Why Men Are the Way
11) -See communication and conflict resolution asThey Are, explains that men are jealous of the
key to organizational success"beauty power" that allows women to get certain
12) Men and women tend to lead in differentthings based on their physical assets. Perhaps it's
ways.Namely, women leadership strategy is basedless that women use their beauty, and more likely
on family pattern. It means thatthat men judge them based on their physical
women tend to view solving problems differentlybeauty5. The reasons that people start and lead
than men. Women tend to be more holistic in theirbusiness among women is to bring in and focus
thinking.on a clientele of mainly women. Most times
13) Leaders must be conscious of what iswomen start business that deal with products
perceived by others and develop strategies thatthat women use, such as clothes, makeup and
are proactive in building success. Marcano (1997)home products. The most successful companies
described this as "know thyself" and furtherrun by women are ones that use women's special
stated that it is important to be honest andskills. These special skills are style, fiscal sense and
objective when evaluating your strengths andpublic relations. Their strengths as business
abilities, as well as your goalsowners are their public relations and the clientele
14) Continual professional growththey bring in. There weakness as business owners
15) Leaders need to have a clear sense of theiris the overcoming of sexism that exists. There
own vision and beliefsResearching - Case study ofbiggest fear is finding clientele that will due
Serbiabusiness with a women.. I think these men feel
I presented the latest results of researchingthis way because they are insecure.6. I simply
related to women leaders and their position in thethink that women just became even more
business world,i.e. how does people look at (smarter. Speaking from a personal point of view,
divided into sex,ages and level of education)I know that being happy and successful are very
women leaders and if they trust them. Myimportant to me. They go hand in hand. Most of
scientific task was to make some conclusions andthe women I know feel the same way. I believe
to point out some special characteristics of Serbiathat as the years progress women will be
and Balkan region. We can see different opinionsinvolved in an even bigger part of the economy,
related to our questions :because young girls are going to follow their
Do you trust to women-leaders? Could they befemale role models.7. Personally I feel that some
equaly successful in business world like men?-high qualified positions are better suited to a
Methodology- Interviews conducted from 1.476women because men have humungous ego
people ,726 women and 750 men- Interviewedproblems8. I personally think that women can do
people were between 18 and 60 years old- In thewhatever men do sometimes better. there have
whole structure of respondents 30% werealways been a glass ceiling for women in the
owners- 73 % were married ,19 % single and 8%work force however, many women are getting
divorced.- A few key findings are listed below:-closer to this ceiling and some of them has at
The barriers to women's advancement in businessleast attempted to break through this ceiling. the
are remarkably similar across Balkan region andreason many people think that women are not
the biggest cities in the Serbia- Belgrade ,Novi Sadcapable of being in the work force is because of
and Nis.- The women respondents trust tothe conotation that has been here for like for
women leaders ( 63 %) and most of them preferever, "women should stay home and take care of
to work in some firm where is a woman leaderthe home".9. We need to stop complaing about
or executive manager.Also they think that thehow much work we have or how hard it is and
women want to reach the top, and are equalyjust complete. The more we compain about the
ambitious like men.- Most respondents (60%) saywork, the more the man is going to say that
that Corporate Culture is the most significantthings should go to how they used to be in the
barrier to women achieving top executiveold days, which was The man works and when
positions, while only twenty-nine percent (29%)he comes home he gets treated as if he is
think work/family balance is a significant barrier tosomething golden and special while tlelign us we
advancement and 36% believe that a lack ofare worthless. The woman can not go to work
self-promotion holds women back from achievingbecuase she needs to stay home with the
top-level positions- The majority of men inchildren and cook and clean the house. I am glad i
research had negative attitude against womenlive in this century becuase honestly i do not
executives. In other words they expressedknow how i woud've been able to live up to those
stereotypes and preconceptions about women'sexpectationsAt last we can conclude that the
roles and abilities in business. Men stress thatwoman are now much more motivated and
women have lack of general managementready to reach their professional dreams and be
experience ,lack of skills and knowledge and lackleaders ,not only in Serbia and Balkan region , but
of role models.Respondents among men almostall over the world then they once were. Until
gave the similar replies related to our questions asrecently, entrepreneurship was considered by
a following :1.We are here Balkan and we aremany to be the last bastion of male dominance in
argue for traditional model of society2. Womenthe business world. This is no longer true. More
have been fighting for equal rights for nearly all ofbusinesses are now being started by women than
time and now that they have it they expectare being started by men. However,there are still
special treatment because they are femalesa lot of men who don't think women should be in
.these positions and hold no respect for them at
3.I do not trust women in business and I do notall. As time goes on, women are going to be a
accept them seriouslybigger and bigger part of the business world, and
4.I am afraid of those womenthese men are just going to have to accept it
5. I hate feminist community and cultureand face a reality check, because no matter what
6. Women must stay at home and be leaders inthey feel and how much they are against it, the
their families but not in business word. Leaderworld is changing and it's going to happen
position in business is reserved for menregardless of how they feel.Mirjana Radovic,
7. Women leaders are actually men dressed likePh.D.,Program Director of Master
womenProgram,"ENTREPRENEURSHIP FOR WOMEN"
It is very interesting that a great amount of-Akamai University,USA
men do not make difference between womengo to link
leaders and women feminists ,who are not veryThe topics of the program include affirmative
popular in this region. And about 20 % of womenaction, access to debt and equity capital, the
respondents in the research share mentionedgrowth of women-led businesses in non-traditional
opinion with the men.sectors, work-life balance and the development of
About 10 % of men respondents are afraid ofresource networks. Thie program is especially
women domination in the business world,becausesuited to women who want to own or assume a
it could change natural balance between womenmanagement position in a women-owned business.
and men and to decrease traditional role of theIt also is intended for students who are
men in society and family.Therefore, they wouldprospective entrepreneurs and those interested in
not like domination of the business women in thebeing entrepreneurial supporters (bankers, venture
21 st century.capitalists, lawyers, accountants, private investors,
It is also very indicative that among youngadvisers and inventorsDr. Radovic has spent over
women (18-35) exist the great interest fortwenty years as a scientist. She has been a
leadership and entrepreneurship and they moreprofessor, a researcher and an author of eight
than earlier explore opportunities to reach theirbooks devoted to business management and
professional goals. Namely, they expressed theirentrepreneurship. Dr. Radovic has written
opinion with the following words:1. Female ownersnumerous articles, reviews and essays in a
and leaders have more of a struggle becausenumber of professional journals and popular
they are females and no one will take themmagazines.