Sex and Workstyle of Leaders and Followers: Determinants of Productivity

Abstract

This study investigated whether sex and workstyle interactions of leaders and followers affect team productivity. It was hypothesized that (a) task-oriented leaders would be the most productive, (b) followers with a same-sexed leader would be the most productive, and (c) the most productive subjects would rate their teams as the most pleasant. Only the final hypothesis received some support in groups formed by 168 male and 168 female undergraduates to work on a puzzle within a half-hour session and assessed by Fiedler's measures.