Critics of business school education cite a widening gap between scholarship and practice, and suggest both are necessary to both educate and inform the other (Bennis & O’Toole, 2005; Mintzberg, 2004; Pfeffer & Fong, 2002, 2004; Tushman, O’Reilly, Fenollosa, Kleinbaum, & McGrath, 2007). By generating rigorous, relevant research and helping corporations integrate theory into practice, executive education and other business school leaders can lessen the gap, increase the impact, and mend the relationships between corporations and the institution (Tushman et al, 2007). This research on the leadership behaviors of women executives addresses a gap in both research and practice (Helgesen, 1990; Kanter, 1977; Levitt, 2010; Marshall, 1995; Rosener, 1990).
The Leadership Practices Inventory (LPI) and a brief demographic questionnaire were completed by 320 executives (director, vice president or above) in a metropolitan Midwestern region of the United States in 2007-2008. The results determined that the frequency with which women executives demonstrated 29 of the 30 leadership behaviors did not differ from their male counterparts. Executive women reported that they used one leadership behavior, “find ways to celebrate accomplishments” significantly more frequently than executive men.
Additionally, individual follow-up interviews were conducted with ten women and two men in executive level roles. The data were transcribed, coded, and analyzed using the grounded theory method. From the data, ten theories emerged as the essential leadership skills women need in order to be successful in an executive level role. These are a) Develop self awareness, b) Get results, c) Value relationships, d) Recognize and reward performance, e) Foster collaboration, f) Take risks, g) Be resilient, h) Learn to assimilate, i) Value lifelong learning, j) Find balance
This research may be valuable for current and aspiring women executives, their sponsoring corporations, and the executive education professionals who help women leaders develop the skills they need to be successful in executive roles. The findings inform executive education professionals and equip them to better meet the needs of their student population. Leveraging this research to inform practice also enables higher education to address a concern of critics of business school education.
","abstract_html":"<p>Critics of business school education cite a widening gap between scholarship and practice, and suggest both are necessary to both educate and inform the other (Bennis & O’Toole, 2005; Mintzberg, 2004; Pfeffer & Fong, 2002, 2004; Tushman, O’Reilly, Fenollosa, Kleinbaum, & McGrath, 2007). By generating rigorous, relevant research and helping corporations integrate theory into practice, executive education and other business school leaders can lessen the gap, increase the impact, and mend the relationships between corporations and the institution (Tushman et al, 2007). This research on the leadership behaviors of women executives addresses a gap in both research and practice (Helgesen, 1990; Kanter, 1977; Levitt, 2010; Marshall, 1995; Rosener, 1990). </p><p>The Leadership Practices Inventory (LPI) and a brief demographic questionnaire were completed by 320 executives (director, vice president or above) in a metropolitan Midwestern region of the United States in 2007-2008. The results determined that the frequency with which women executives demonstrated 29 of the 30 leadership behaviors did not differ from their male counterparts. Executive women reported that they used one leadership behavior, “find ways to celebrate accomplishments” significantly more frequently than executive men. </p><p>Additionally, individual follow-up interviews were conducted with ten women and two men in executive level roles. The data were transcribed, coded, and analyzed using the grounded theory method. From the data, ten theories emerged as the essential leadership skills women need in order to be successful in an executive level role. These are a) Develop self awareness, b) Get results, c) Value relationships, d) Recognize and reward performance, e) Foster collaboration, f) Take risks, g) Be resilient, h) Learn to assimilate, i) Value lifelong learning, j) Find balance</p><p>This research may be valuable for current and aspiring women executives, their sponsoring corporations, and the executive education professionals who help women leaders develop the skills they need to be successful in executive roles. The findings inform executive education professionals and equip them to better meet the needs of their student population. Leveraging this research to inform practice also enables higher education to address a concern of critics of business school education.</p>","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Beutel, Lisa Mason"],"institution":"University of Dayton","degree_name":"Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)","degree_level":"doctoral","degree_discipline":"Educational Leadership","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":["Biddle, James"],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2012,"date_issued":"2012","date_published":"2012","updated_at":"2026-07-24T03:35:52Z","subjects":["Adult Education","Business Administration","Business Education","Curriculum Development","Education","Educational Leadership","Gender","Gender Studies","Management","Organizational Behavior","Organization Theory","leadership","women","executive","executive education","LPI","leadership practices inventory","leadership skills","managment","c-level leadership","leadership development","succession planning","corporate training"],"languages":["English"],"rights":["unrestricted","This thesis or dissertation is protected by copyright: all rights reserved. It may not be copied or redistributed beyond the terms of applicable copyright laws."],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=dayton1355424220","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor","label":"Contributor","values":["Biddle, James"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Beutel, Lisa Mason"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date","label":"Dc Date","values":["2012"]},{"key":"dc:publisher","label":"Institution","values":["University of Dayton / OhioLINK"]},{"key":"dc:type","label":"Dc Type","values":["Electronic Thesis or Dissertation"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Educational Leadership"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["doctoral"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)"]},{"key":"thesis:institution_name","label":"Thesis Institution Name","values":["University of Dayton"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["Adult Education","Business Administration","Business Education","Curriculum Development","Education","Educational Leadership","Gender","Gender Studies","Management","Organizational Behavior","Organization Theory","leadership","women","executive","executive education","LPI","leadership practices inventory","leadership skills","managment","c-level leadership","leadership development","succession planning","corporate training"]}]},{"id":"language_rights","label":"Language and Rights","entries":[{"key":"dc:language","label":"Dc Language","values":["English"]},{"key":"dc:rights","label":"Dc Rights","values":["unrestricted","This thesis or dissertation is protected by copyright: all rights reserved. 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This research on the leadership behaviors of women executives addresses a gap in both research and practice (Helgesen, 1990; Kanter, 1977; Levitt, 2010; Marshall, 1995; Rosener, 1990).
The Leadership Practices Inventory (LPI) and a brief demographic questionnaire were completed by 320 executives (director, vice president or above) in a metropolitan Midwestern region of the United States in 2007-2008. The results determined that the frequency with which women executives demonstrated 29 of the 30 leadership behaviors did not differ from their male counterparts. Executive women reported that they used one leadership behavior, “find ways to celebrate accomplishments” significantly more frequently than executive men.
Additionally, individual follow-up interviews were conducted with ten women and two men in executive level roles. The data were transcribed, coded, and analyzed using the grounded theory method. From the data, ten theories emerged as the essential leadership skills women need in order to be successful in an executive level role. These are a) Develop self awareness, b) Get results, c) Value relationships, d) Recognize and reward performance, e) Foster collaboration, f) Take risks, g) Be resilient, h) Learn to assimilate, i) Value lifelong learning, j) Find balance
This research may be valuable for current and aspiring women executives, their sponsoring corporations, and the executive education professionals who help women leaders develop the skills they need to be successful in executive roles. The findings inform executive education professionals and equip them to better meet the needs of their student population. Leveraging this research to inform practice also enables higher education to address a concern of critics of business school education.
"]},{"key":"dc:format","label":"Dc Format","values":["application/pdf","p.181","693. KB"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Follow Her Lead: Understanding the Leadership Behaviors of Women Executives"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor":["Biddle, James"],"dc:creator":["Beutel, Lisa Mason"],"dc:date":["2012"],"dc:description":["Critics of business school education cite a widening gap between scholarship and practice, and suggest both are necessary to both educate and inform the other (Bennis & O’Toole, 2005; Mintzberg, 2004; Pfeffer & Fong, 2002, 2004; Tushman, O’Reilly, Fenollosa, Kleinbaum, & McGrath, 2007). By generating rigorous, relevant research and helping corporations integrate theory into practice, executive education and other business school leaders can lessen the gap, increase the impact, and mend the relationships between corporations and the institution (Tushman et al, 2007). This research on the leadership behaviors of women executives addresses a gap in both research and practice (Helgesen, 1990; Kanter, 1977; Levitt, 2010; Marshall, 1995; Rosener, 1990).
The Leadership Practices Inventory (LPI) and a brief demographic questionnaire were completed by 320 executives (director, vice president or above) in a metropolitan Midwestern region of the United States in 2007-2008. The results determined that the frequency with which women executives demonstrated 29 of the 30 leadership behaviors did not differ from their male counterparts. Executive women reported that they used one leadership behavior, “find ways to celebrate accomplishments” significantly more frequently than executive men.
Additionally, individual follow-up interviews were conducted with ten women and two men in executive level roles. The data were transcribed, coded, and analyzed using the grounded theory method. From the data, ten theories emerged as the essential leadership skills women need in order to be successful in an executive level role. These are a) Develop self awareness, b) Get results, c) Value relationships, d) Recognize and reward performance, e) Foster collaboration, f) Take risks, g) Be resilient, h) Learn to assimilate, i) Value lifelong learning, j) Find balance
This research may be valuable for current and aspiring women executives, their sponsoring corporations, and the executive education professionals who help women leaders develop the skills they need to be successful in executive roles. The findings inform executive education professionals and equip them to better meet the needs of their student population. Leveraging this research to inform practice also enables higher education to address a concern of critics of business school education.
"],"dc:format":["application/pdf","p.181","693. KB"],"dc:identifier":["http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=dayton1355424220"],"dc:language":["English"],"dc:publisher":["University of Dayton / OhioLINK"],"dc:rights":["unrestricted","This thesis or dissertation is protected by copyright: all rights reserved. It may not be copied or redistributed beyond the terms of applicable copyright laws."],"dc:subject":["Adult Education","Business Administration","Business Education","Curriculum Development","Education","Educational Leadership","Gender","Gender Studies","Management","Organizational Behavior","Organization Theory","leadership","women","executive","executive education","LPI","leadership practices inventory","leadership skills","managment","c-level leadership","leadership development","succession planning","corporate training"],"dc:title":["Follow Her Lead: Understanding the Leadership Behaviors of Women Executives"],"dc:type":["Electronic Thesis or Dissertation"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Educational Leadership"],"thesis:degree_level":["doctoral"],"thesis:degree_name":["Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)"],"thesis:institution_name":["University of Dayton"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T03:35:52Z"}