Women’s leadership in the healthcare landscape. Original evidence from an innovative narrative review of the literature: the female-led study

The “great man” theory inherently excludes women, as it traditionally focuses on leadership features associated with men. In recent years, the healthcare sector has experienced a growing presence of women in leadership roles; however, although female health workers significantly outnumber men, the number of women leaders remains lower than that of men. This article seeks to investigate potential differences between male and female leadership, identify the winning characteristics of female leadership, and examine the barriers and obstacles that may preclude women’s access to leadership positions. A review of existing reviews available on PubMed was conducted using specific search queries. The authors analyzed the selected articles according to specific inclusion and exclusion criteria, using the PICO methodology. Out of 967 articles, 18 met the inclusion criteria. The most frequently identified characteristics of female leadership included a democratic and non-individualistic style, strong communication skills, and empathy. The most common obstacles to the advancement of female leadership included lower compensation, persistent stereotypes and prejudices, and insufficient support from institutions in addressing the gender gap. Academic studies confirm that women tend to adopt a transformational leadership style, in contrast to the more autocratic and assertive male leadership. Further research on female leadership is essential for monitoring progress and fostering actions that allow women to thrive in top leadership positions.