Monday, November 10, 2008

Men or Women - Which Makes the Better Boss?

I have come to learn over my many years of working, that I haven't quite figured out the answer to this question other than I think I would make the ideal boss. But I'm not sure I want to find out what other people think about that. So far of all the bosses I've had (meaning the ones in authority to give me raises, fire me, etc etc..) I think I would prefer to be my own boss.

This is because they can both be moody and take it out on you if they choose. Both can be sexist towards men or women. Both can be mean and bitchy. Both can be passive to a fault meaning they refuse to deal with personnel issues if it means confronting an employee about bad behavior. Both can take credit for your work or throw you under the bus if it benefits them. Both can hold you back in your career. Both can chip away at employee morale. I'm sure there are many other things they both can do, but I have listed characteristics of my bosses. They didn't all exhibit all of these characteristics, nor were they each without their good qualities.

I guess that means I have yet to have that exceptional boss that will bend over backwards to keep me from moving on. Maybe that means I'm a terrible employee. If I am, I have yet to be told that. I did have one boss that did all she could at raise time to keep us happy, but she wasn't in a very powerful position to get us more or help me advance in the company. In fact she was removed as my boss during a "reorganization" and I got sent to the boss from hell. On a good day she could be really nice and fun and offer good advice and encouragement, but you never assumed that today would be one of those rare days so as to remember to live in fear at work. But I can even find things about her that I preferred to some of the male I've had as bosses. But then they have had qualities I've preferred to many of hers

So what do you all think? Do Men or Women make better bosses? Or are you in the same boat as me and haven't figured it out yet?

1 comment:

Jay said...

Most of my bosses in the last few years have been women. I've not noticed any difference though, on the whole, my bosses who have been women tended to actually care how I felt in doing my job.