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She ranks no. 43 on Forbes鈥� coveted World鈥檚 Most Powerful Women poll, yet outside government circles Christine Lagarde is barely known beyond the eurozone. That鈥檚 about to change.

In 1999, 575 Baker & McKenzie partners elected Ms. Lagarde as the first woman chair of the global law firm. Eight years later, at 51 she achieved elite political status when President Sarkozy tapped her as France鈥檚 Minister of Finance, becoming the first G-7 country female finance chief. Most recently, she set her compass for Washington to become the first female boss at the International Monetary Fund, to fill the vacancy of the disgraced IMF chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn.

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Lagarde鈥檚 business, legal, financial, and political savvy provide a befitting blend for the IMF post; few seriously challenge her qualifications, only her nationality. The emerging countries, mainly the so-called BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa) are pressing to break the six-decade European stranglehold on the top IMF post because, according to a joint statement issued by their representatives, 鈥渘ationality undermines the legitimacy of the Fund.鈥�

Lagarde dismissed the nationality issue at a recent press conference announcing her candidacy. 鈥淏eing European shouldn鈥檛 be a plus, but it shouldn鈥檛 be a minus either,鈥� she said, citing her experience 鈥渁s a lawyer, a business leader, a minister, and a woman.鈥�

A woman? It turns out Lagarde champions a Freudian angle to leadership. She says it鈥檚 all about psyche.

Women are better leaders than men

During an appearance last fall on ABC's "This Week" and following tough talk on fiscal austerity and the evils of budget deficits, Lagarde dove headlong into the squishy topic of gender leadership. Her cardinal thesis: Women are better leaders than men. 鈥淲e don鈥檛 necessarily project our own egos into cutting a deal, [getting] our point across, convincing people, reducing them to鈥�a partner lost in the process.鈥�

Then with a hint of mettle she cut to the chase: 鈥淲e inject less libido, less testosterone.鈥�

I give Lagarde鈥檚 gender theory high marks when tested against the political and leadership culture in the US 鈥� one that has become indisputably partisan and polarized. Our male-dominated political leadership is unable to reverse this trend and is largely seen as the polarizing force.

Ideology has become so rigid that politicians鈥� stances, even on complex, multidimensional issues, are predictable 鈥� often before the debate begins. Testosterone and libido do seem to rule inside Washington鈥檚 beltway. Spin and gridlock invariably trump authenticity and reconciliation.

Confidence without hubris

Lagarde succeeded me as Chair of Baker & McKenzie in 1999 before tackling France鈥檚 top Finance post. Our male-dominated law partners endlessly reminded the boss that management鈥檚 mandate was to tolerantly and benevolently 鈥渉erd 575 cats.鈥� Lagarde always viewed her partners as professionals and graciously accepted her thankless and near impossible role.

The French solicitor successfully grew this demanding brood of counselors and its business, stepping down unscathed in 2005. I observed up close her trademark qualities: uncompromising independence, paired with a healthy dose of confidence, but without a hint of hubris.

This was demonstrated again at the recent press briefing when questioned about her lack of 鈥渆conomist鈥� credentials. She conceded that the economic community would not bestow her with an honorary degree, but cautioned observers not to be fooled by one鈥檚 expertise, or seeming lack of it 鈥淢y approach has always been to pretend that I understand nothing and to force people who are in the know to explain their position.鈥�

Voted in 2009 as Europe鈥檚 top finance minister by the Financial Times, Lagarde brings a no-nonsense authenticity to problem solving. Advocating tax cuts for her countrymen to the French Parliament, she took a 鈥�Bronx-like鈥� swipe at the French elite, admonishing them to stop pontificating and turn theory into reality: 鈥淚 would like to tell you: Enough thinking, already. Roll up your sleeves.鈥� Lagarde went on to cite French writer Alexis de Tocqueville鈥檚 "Democracy in America," exhorting the French to work harder, earn more, and pay lower taxes on their wealth.

Studies support Lagarde's gender theory

Lagarde鈥檚 gender braggadocio is supported by empirical data. Leadership studies consistently show women outperform men in the key area of decision-making: They tend to use a more democratic, participative style, while men take a more autocratic, directive approach. These studies conclude that women鈥檚 traditional approach to negotiation, mediation, facilitation, and communication is more effective than men鈥檚 traditional insistence on power and control.

So if women make better bosses, why do few make it to the top? A Pew Report cites a host of reasons including gender discrimination, resistance to change, a self-serving 鈥渙ld boys club,鈥� and family responsibilities; but also confirms that women inherently have what it takes to be good leaders.

As the IMF executive board evaluates the credentials, professional and geographic, of the managing director candidates, it would do well to also consider Lagarde鈥檚 鈥渋d鈥� theory of leadership. Mr. Strauss-Kahn, Silvio Berlusconi, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Eliot Spitzer, John Edwards, Bill Clinton, Mark Sanford, John Ensign, and now, Anthony Weiner (to tick off the more prominent libido-driven male leaders) seem to provide fertile evidence that she is on to something.

John Klotsche is a retired partner and former chairman of the executive committee of Baker & McKenzie (1995-1999), the Chicago-based international law firm. He writes fiction and non-fiction short stories.