Results from research at Henley Business School shows that successful leaders in the 21 st century will require a mix of traditionally male and female skills and capabilities. "There is a growing realisation of the importance of a more rounded and flexible approach to leadership. Women can learn from men by adopting a more focused approach, being quicker to seek a coach or mentor and valuing their own strengths and capabilities. Men in turn would benefit from becoming less competitive and more collaborate, more personal and less macho," says Jane Cranwell-Ward.......

The research aims to identify differences between perceptions of men and women towards their skills and capabilities; development of careers for senior leadership roles and blocks to career progression.

Conducted on current MBA participants at Henley using a combination of focus groups and questionnaires, findings show that from an individual perspective men and women do see themselves and one another differently. Stereotyping leads to a view that men are better at the big picture and thinking strategically, whilst women are more likely to focus on detail. Lack of self-confidence is a major issue in the career advancement of women. Women tend to judge themselves more harshly - this reflects on their image, the way they present themselves and their assessment of their suitability for top jobs. In contrast men present themselves in a much more favourable light.

Results highlight the importance of women playing to their strengths. The focus groups demonstrate that men appreciate female characteristics; the sensitive approach of women versus the macho approach still sometimes adopted by men.

Both men and women are seeking greater flexibility from employers to manage work/life balance. Women feel they have to choose between having a family and progressing their career to achieve a senior position. Only those with a very supportive partner/family can combine the two. Opportunities to succeed for women with children varied greatly according to sectors of employment. For example women employed in healthcare were very able to progress careers with family commitments in contrast those working in the City or IT. Strategies by organisations to positively discriminate in favour of women to increase the number of women in senior jobs were seen as counter productive. Men perceived this as impacting on the credibility of women as leaders.

Women as Leaders - releasing your full potential ran at Henley Business School from 19-20 th June. Aspirational women in senior positions and senior managers responsible for career progression and senior level appointments will be empowered to take charge of their career, building on models of good leadership practice and lessons from research. Keynote speakers include Dame Stella Rimington, Karren Brady, MD Birmingham City Football Club and Nicola Horlick.