When it comes to the workplace, women executives are far more effective than their male counterparts at increasing organizational diversity, according to a new Rutgers study.

“Women have been leaders of communities and families for centuries, says Anuja Gupta, assistant professor of management at Rutgers-Camden. “In positions of leadership, they are well-suited to enhance and to bring about diversity in organizations.”

Gupta is the author of “Women Leaders and Organizational Diversity: Their Critical Role in Promoting Diversity in Organizations.” The study was recently published in the international journal “Development and Learning in Organizations.”

“Women outperform men in several key competencies: collaboration, inspiring others, motivating others, listening and being accepting of others,” says Gupta, who studies strategy and women’s leadership.

She says that developing diversity must be more than a buzzword.

“It is so critical in a global world where we have an influx of nationalities, cultures and sexual identities,” she says. “Any workplace that wants to be a productive workplace going forward has to have a plan to deal with its diversity.”