Are you a leader? Are you that person who gets things done – shows initiative, inspires, guides and motivates a group to achieve a common goal? Does it matter whether you are male or female? Do men and women lead in the same way? 

I read recently in a Guider report that women leaders excel at:

• Being honest and ethical.
• Providing fair pay and good benefits.
• Giving guidance and mentorship and being a spokesperson for the company. 

All that is wonderful – who wouldn’t want to be that person – but are female leaders different from male leaders? 

Male leaders are often characterised as: 

• being task-oriented, 
• active and independent 
• focused on decision making. 

Don’t all leaders need to be all of the above whether male or female?

Personally, I would prefer not to be judged as a ‘female leader’ but simply as a ‘leader’ – leader and a woman in tech.

To quote Sheryl Sandberg, Chief Operating Officer (COO) of Facebook

“The word ‘female,’ when inserted in front of something, is always with a note of surprise. Female COO, female pilot, female surgeon — as if the gender implies surprise … One day there won’t be female leaders. There will just be leaders.”