A study focused on the administrative training and leadership practices used by communication chairpersons. Of particular interest is the comparison of leadership practices of male and female chairpersons and how those practices are influenced by the length of term as chair, the size of the institution, the size of the department, whether or not the chair exerts budgetary or programmatic control, and tenure. A 68% response rate was achieved from a random sample of 265 communication chairpersons proportioned by gender. Results indicate that the percentage of women communication chairpersons increased to 27%. Chairpersons surveyed scored highest in the leadership practices of Enabling Others to Act and Encouraging the Heart, two practices reflective of feminine leadership style. (Contains 27 references, 6 tables, and 6 figures of data.) (Author/RS)