Until recently there has been little research interest in the possible impact of sex on leadership. Both general leadership research and the more recent materials on women who are leaders concentrated upon three areas of leadership--personality, style, and power--with the subordinate reactions they elicit. Traditionally, women have been viewed by both sexes as the antithesis of the desirable leader personality, but research on men and women actually occupying leadership positions denies the stereotypic view held by their own supervisors. The validity of leadership as personality has begun to be questioned. Using the sex-linked styles of Consideration (female) and Initiating Structure (male), including criticism of its validity, subordinates reacted negatively to female supervisors reflecting perceived lack of female power, while being supportive of most sex-role congruency. Power differences for both anatomy and mastery were common and may account for the negative reactions to female leaders because they are not allowed to function effectively. Presently, subordinates hold strong beliefs about sex-linked differences, despite contrary research data. (LS)