Seeking the best: Leadership lessons from the military

Abstract Based on the experiences of the armed forces in the United States and Canada, and incorporating insights from interviews recently conducted in the Canadian military, this article discusses lessons learned about moving women into positions of leadership.The masculine nature of the military exposes many barriers facing women elsewhere. First, we discuss the need for a new kind of leader, and then the consequences for organizations ignoring external realities.Third, we discuss innovative research demonstrating that genuine change must go beyond legislation. Finally, the military illustrates some challenges in identifying the best candidates for leadership positions. Implications for management are discussed throughout the article. ©2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.