Women in Power : The Personalities and Leadership Styles of Indira Gandhi, Golda Meir, and Margaret Thatcher

How the personality traits of Gandhi, Meir, and Thatcher developed, and their impact on leadership behaviour. Indira Gandhi, Golda Meir, and Margaret Thatcher were all described at various times as the "only man" in their respective cabinets - a reference to their tough, controlling behaviour. What explains this type of leadership style? In Women in Power, Blema Steinberg describes the role that personality traits played in shaping the ways in which these three women governed. For each of her subjects, Steinberg provides a personality profile based on biographical information, an analysis of the patterns that comprise the personality profile using psychodynamic insights, and an examination of the relationship between personality and leadership style through an exploration of various aspects of political life - motivation, relations with the cabinet, the caucus, the opposition, the media, and the public. By bringing together some of the best work in psychological leadership studies and conventional personality assessments, Women in Power makes a significant contribution to the study of political leadership and the advancement of personality-in-leadership modelling. Contents Figures and Tables Acknowledgments Introduction PART ONE: INDIRA GANDHI 1 Indira Gandhi: From Prime Minister’s Daughter to Prime Minister 2 Mother India: The Personality Profile of Indira Gandhi 3 Indira Gandhi’s Leadership Style PART TWO: GOLDA MEIR 4 Golda Meir: From Immigrants’ Daughter to Prime Minister 5 The Jewish Grandmother: The Personality Profile of Golda Meir 6 Golda Meir’s Leadership Style PART THREE: MARGARET THATCHER 7 Margaret Thatcher: From Grocer’s Daughter to Prime Minister 8 The Iron Lady: The Personality Profile of Margaret Thatcher 9 Margaret Thatcher’s Leadership Style Conclusion Appendix: Conceptual Framework and Methodology Notes Bibliography Index A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W Y Z "In Women in Power, Blema S. Steinberg explores the personalities and leadership styles of three remarkable female leaders, Indira Gandhi, Golda Meir, and Margaret Thatcher to help us understand the ways in which personality impacts on leadership. The personality traits of each woman are examined using insights from the fields of psychiatry, psychology, and psychoanalysis, while their respective leadership styles draw upon measures developed by political scientists. Steinberg then tests the theoretical expectations concerning the relationship between different personality traits and leadership styles against the empirical evidence for each prime minister. The book concludes with a comparative analysis of her results."--Jacket