1. The research findings suggest that women might be better suited than men for the challenges of global leadership. Yet how could this be true, given the small number of women occupying executive leadership positions?

2. What options might be available for increasing the level of women’s participation in global leadership positions?

3. Are there certain industries, nations, or other contexts in which it would be inappropriate or undesirable to have women as leaders? Why or why not?

The focus of this Global Debate explores the extent to which women occupy (or not) senior management positions in large companies, as well as differences in the typical skills and attributes of female versus male global leaders. The discussion highlights the case that women are proportionally underrepresented among top management, including in Fortune 1000 companies. At the same time, women evidence different leadership styles than men tend to exhibit, and the traits typically represented by women may be more consistent with the skills and attributes associated with effective global leaders. As a result, the apparent discrepancy between desired attributes and level of representation for women provides the basis for an interesting and often intensely debated discussion, and can allow the discussion to consider these issues from a variety of different perspectives.