The group used series of indepth interviews with dozens of executives and managers to determine that leadership traits like empathy, conflict-management, self-awareness and influence were consistently tied to successful business outcomes within matrixed organisations.
A subsequent review of data from Hay Group’s Emotional and Social Competency Inventory – behavioural database that includes information on the emotional intelligence of more than 17,000 individuals worldwide – found these skills to be more prevalent in executive-level women in general management roles, as compared to their male peers:
•Empathy was found to be strength for 33 percent of women, compared to just 15 percent of men.
•Conflict management was seen as strength in 51 percent of women, as opposed to 29 percent of men.
•Influence was cited as strength for 32 percent of women, compared to 21 percent of men.
•Self-awareness was strongly evident in 19 percent of women, but just four percent of men.
Among women and men below the executive level, gender disparities were less pronounced. However, the competencies required to effectively lead in matrix environment proved to be scarce across Hay Group’s database:
•Fewer than one quarter (22 percent) demonstrated strong sense of empathy.
•Less than one third (31 percent) of individuals were found to hold strong conflict-management skills.
•Only 20 percent were found to have strong sense of influence.
•Just nine percent of employees exhibit strong sense of self-awareness.
This latest research is at the heart of Hay Group’s Mastering the Matrix Leadership Program.
To find out more about the leadership skills critical to leading within matrix visit: www.haygroup.com\ww\MasteringMatrixLeadership.
