Cohn, Laura, (2000). Women in the workforce: they have come a long way. Business Week [Online]. Available: http://www.businessweek.com [31 March, 2000.]Pohlman, P. (1997). Descriptions of four leadership styles. The Poyter Institute. [Online]. Available: http//www.poynter.org/research/lm/lmstyles_styles.htm [1April, 2000.] As leadership styles begin to be accepted, more and more women can be expected to step into the shoes of the leader. As the ôteam builderö style becomes increasingly accepted, women as leaders may advance more rapidly. Perhaps an acceptance of the newer, more casual leadership styles has been influenced by the presence and expanding power of technology and the Internet (The Net, 2000). The new frontier calls for new skills, skills that women have been socialized to develop. ôBecause this new medium of the Internet is so powerful and so filled with promise, particularly the promise of community building, it is vital for women to understand the implications of having access to the most powerful communications network in history, to learn its dynamics, and understand what is at stake in its futureà.The audience is listeningö (The Net, 2000). Brownlee, W.E. & M.M. Brownlee, (1976). Women in the American Economy: A Documentary History, 1675 to 1929. New Haven: Yale University Press. In conclusion, women have come a long way in this past century, and as concepts of leadership styles adjust to the realities of the 21st century, women may have an increasing number of opportunities to lead in a manner that is comfortable and appropriate for them. People who lead can be bossy, but they can also be consensus builders, team leaders, and good coaches, people who are relational and equipped to deal with personal needs and feelings. As more women lead, more women can be expected to follow in their footsteps. It is, indeed, a brave new world for women. On the net and on the board, they will continue to grow and to fight for equality. Th |
