Women make better business leaders than men in all but two areas of management but men have the upper hand when it comes to focusing on the bottom line, according to an Australian survey.

Data collected from 1,800 Australian female and male chief executive officers and managers found women exhibit more strategic drive, risk taking, people skills and innovation and equalled men in the area of emotional stability.

But men came out on top when it came to command and control of management operations and focusing on financial returns.

The survey, conducted for the Steps Leadership Programme by employment consultancy firm Peter Berry Consultancy, found women were more likely to take a chance with their ideas and challenge the status quo.

"Women are ambitious, bold, mischievous, colourful and imaginative. They are more confident, competitive, visionary and have a stronger presence," Gillian O'Mara, general manager of the Steps Leadership Programme, said in a statement.

But the survey found that men were more task focused and concentrated on getting the job done rather than dealing with relationships.

"(Men believe) that bottom line dollars are the only game in town. Their key motives and preferences in life appear to be around revenue, budgets and profit. At work and at home, they are driven by financial opportunities," said Ms O'Mara.

"Men are task focused and concentrate on getting the job done without bothering too much with relationships. They are more comfortable with hierarchies, title silos and processes."

The results of the survey, which was based on an international research-based personality test called the Hogan Assessment System used by organisations to select employees, will be presented at a female leadership seminar in Sydney on Wednesday.