Ground Floor: People with predominantly feminine characteristics (generally women) have different leadership styles than people with predominantly male characteristics (generally men), writes Patricia Barker.

It is true that some women have predominantly male or androgynous characteristics. Indeed, a recent Irish study of women who have reached partnership level in some professional firms showed most of them displayed predominantly masculine characteristics.

Women, however, usually display more flexibility in leadership, greater ability to be empathetic and to create a more productive work environment, have better interpersonal skills, operate a more participated style of leadership, have a different attitude to power and, by and large, provide transformational rather than transactional leadership. Additionally, women often analyse ethical dilemmas differently.

It makes good business sense to have a mix of men and women on the board of any company. The combination of masculine and feminine leadership styles contributes to better leadership and governance.

But Irish companies generally have a lamentable record in gender balance on their boards of directors.

Of the finalists in the recently announced Published Financial Reports Award, there was, on average, 7 per cent female membership of the boards of Irish listed firms.

Some high profile public companies have no women at all and even the statutory companies (which would be expected to make some effort to adhere to the Government's benchmark of not less than 40 per cent of either gender on the board) have a poor level of female representation.

It is internationally acknowledged that we have good equality legislation in Ireland.

Yet it is difficult to believe such is the case when one looks at the photographs of the boards of directors in annual reports. In most cases, boards are almost entirely populated by a phalanx of white, middle-aged, middle-class men.

If you review the membership of Irish boards, you will be struck by the number of times the same faces pop up on different boards as non-executive directors. It should be the case that board members are selected to ensure that there is a good mix of competencies appropriate to the particular company and sector.

In our increasingly sophisticated world of global trade with complex finance and product delivery systems and given the growth in knowledge about management of people, assets and the market, it is critical that corporate governors are adequately qualified.

We are probably not far from some form of competency testing of company directors.

As part of that profile of a portfolio of diverse competencies, it is important to ensure a gender balance. There are highly skilled and qualified women in the Irish workplace and no shortage of female talent from which to draw.

Sadly, one would think there was a limited pool of solely male talent. It is possible to understand how the well-worn, comfortable, old boots might be selected instead of taking a chance on the untried, exciting stilettos.

A mixture of footsteps on decisions and analyses is likely to make them more innovative and productive, however. The competitive edge is likely to go to the firms willing to take the risk and include the feminine thinkers on their boards.

Organisations may not have a deliberate policy of excluding women, but they are significantly curtailing their decision making by excluding 50 per cent of the population.

Having a few "token" women is not a good idea. When there are fewer than 15 per cent women on a board, as a small minority group they will often adopt male leadership behaviour patterns. Additionally, these women are highly visible and that visibility means they are often subject to greater performance pressures than male colleagues.

We will eventually be able to claim that we have real equality when there is good representation of women and men, but also when we can say it is equally acceptable for some of the women to be mediocre performers.

A good gender balance at the top of an organisation is not only a practical way of introducing diversity into decision-making.

It is also important for the young women coming up through the organisation. It creates an environment which signals that women are equally valued and provides role models to potential future senior managers.

As we move into the new year, it is a good time for boards of directors to open the windows and permit some of the cobwebs to be blown away and allow the rustle of taffeta through the portals of their hallowed male bastions.

I guarantee it will lead to better decision-making and they might even like it!

Prof Patricia Barker is a chartered accountant and professor of accounting at Dublin City University. She is a former chairwoman of the IBTS.