Leaders in a Global Economy: A Study of Executive Women and Men is the first study to look at a large representative group of very senior women and men executives and the factors that enhance, and inhibit, their success on the job and at home.

 

Ten companies, including Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu and IBM Corporation, participated in this study, which included a survey of close to 1,200 women and men senior executives from around the world. The study was conducted in partnership with three premier non-profit organizations: Families and Work Institute, Catalyst, and the Boston College Center for Work & Family.

Among the assumptions challenged by the Leaders in a Global Economy study are: "the higher women climb, the more they have to give up in their personal or family lives," "women and men use different personal strategies to succeed," and "executives have to be work-centric in order to succeed."

 

This study finds that there is a sizable minority of executives, 32 percent, who are "dual-centric," placing the same priority on their lives at work and outside of work.

 

"Of particular importance is the finding that executives who are dual-centric -- who give equal weight to work and personal life -- feel more successful at work, are less stressed, and have an easier time managing the demands of their work and personal/family lives," said Ellen Galinsky, President of Families and Work Institute. "Women who are dual-centric have advanced to higher reporting levels and feel more successful in their home lives."

 

In addition, the study found that executive women and men describe the personal strategies that have helped them succeed as much more alike than different. These include both so-called "masculine" strategies, such as "taking risks and challenges" and "standing up for what I think," as well as so-called "feminine" strategies, such as "being collaborative."