Feminine Leadership Is More Sustainable For Outer Space Missions
June 11, 2022
Sociologist, Mars Desert Research Station commander + Study Author, Inga Popovaitė. Photo: Inga Popovaitė
People need to survive for prolonged periods without the emotional and psychological support of their family and friends. That’s why a leader, who cares about the emotional needs of their team, becomes more sustainable, especially in the later stages of the mission.” —Sociologist + Study Author, Inga Popovaitė
The gist:
The body of literature on the gendered leadership differences in space is not…vast—sim[ply because, to date, there are fewer female than male astronauts and there have been even fewer female commanders of the International Space Station.
(Only “three women have served as commanders in the International Space Station during two decades of its operations.”)
But considering the reality that “we are just years away from women being sent on long-term space missions and even landing on the Moon,” Sociologist and Commander of the Mars Desert Research Station (MDRS), Inga Popovaitė, set out to expand the literature and our understanding of how gendered leaderships dynamics in may affect and benefit future (and especially new longer term) missions, where “any interpersonal conflict can jeopardise [sic] team success.”
She had to use data from ‘the next best thing’ to ISS research by analyzing 15 years of MDRS data. The Station in Utah, acts as a model ‘extreme’ environment for space training and investigation with conditions that simulate living and working with teams who experience “long-term isolation, confinement, and limited resources.”
Her conclusion?
Yes, women “are better suited for long-term space missions.”
What she terms as“feminine” leadership, could, and should, be valued at a premium.
Long-term space missions require astronauts to survive without emotional and psychological support and "that's why a leader, who cares about the emotional needs of their team, becomes more sustainable, especially in the further stages of the mission."
The study cements the claim that “women are more sociable, and communal leaders than men.”
The Stats:
Popovaitė detected certain differences in female and male commanders’ communication.
Women’s reports had significantly higher positive sentiment scores and significantly lower negative sentiment scores
Although both female and male commanders demonstrated task-oriented leadership behaviour [sic], women commanders discussed their crew members more frequently; moreover, in such discussions, male commanders focused on team spirit, loyalty and accomplishments, and women emphasised [sic] mutual support, motivation and a positive environment
Women more frequently encouraged their team with positive supportive messages
Pretty amazing that we find out female leadership doesn’t only have global impact…the impact is universal.
Photo: Inga Popovaitė [Kaunas University of Technology]
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