Vol: 4, Issue: 4 2014

Page: 28-39

Study of Leadership Styles of Indian Women Leaders in Corporate World

Priyanka Mittal

The paper presents the study of Indian Women Leaders in corporate world in different areas like Marketing, Finance, HR, Banks, Education in India. Women at different levels responded to a questionnaire and personal interviews containing statements on their Leadership Style. These statements were divided into 6 styles of Leadership: Laissez-faire, Democratic, People Oriented Transformation, Environment and Situation Demographic factors such as educational attainment: age, marital status, mobility etc. were also included and compared. The respondents consisted of 150 women working at different levels like 60 Assistant managers, 65 managers, 21 Sr. managers and 4 Vice Presidents. These women were motivated to achieve the objectives they set for themselves and for the responsibilities of their job. Today’s women are future oriented. They were aggressive in setting their goals and expected that task orientation and determination would enable them to accomplish those objectives. Women are emerging as managers and leaders within contemporary organizations. Several factors, both contextual and personal, have contributed to a rich variety of experiences for these women. Claims have been made that women leaders are unique as compared to their male counterparts in terms of style, orientation, power play, expected behavior and success (Appelbaum & Shapiro, 1993).The study tries to understand Indian Women at workplace, their developed roles, values, attitude and their approach to their subordinates. It is the study to analyze the role of Indian Corporate women in a developing country like India, where leadership is still considered as a male province. Indian women are breaking the traditional image of women as a follower and establishing themselves as leaders who are able to become role models to their subordinates, get the job done most effectively and efficiently irrespective of men and women.