Posted on 02/26/2005 7:31:04 AM PST by martin_fierro
Do you prefer to work for a male or female boss?
Your thoughts/stories, please.
This is problematic.
I have had female bosses and male bosses, but the personalities varied so much I can't tie my preferences back to gender.
Well, this is likely to be interesting... I've worked for good and bad people of both sexes. I'm mature enough to know that it would be shallow to blame bad or good people skills on sex alone.
I would rather work for someone who has been a supervisor for awhile... there is a learning curve and sometimes an ego curve in managing people... some get it better than others.
My favorite boss happened to be a man, favorite because he valued the loyalty that really promoted good teamwork. He once said in a staff pep talk "My job is to protect you from upper management, your job is to protect each other from me." Simplistic, but effective. We worked together to cover and help each other out of binds, and we would have protected him from any trouble, inside or outside the company. He did NOT appreciate an employee who sniped about another one to get ahead. He observed... he knew who did what. He improved employees.
My current boss is a woman... and I have no complaints. I still carry the attitude taught by my first example. Most supervisors should appreciate an employee who would rather help a coworker get out of a snafu to keep the job going, rather than the employee who is the first to report the snafu to the boss to promote him/her self. ;~D
(turning cold water hose on Lazzy.)
(Again.)
generally men are easier to work for.
but, i've had bad bosses of both sexes.
one time my female boss was bad, but her boss, a guy, was badder! yes, badder.
they fought like a woman and man in a marriage in a domestic dispute at work! yelling and screaming at each other in public. si.
I've had some women managers in my time...they are either real good or as you've described.
A few years ago I was directed to take over a department with "problems". The problem was, more than half the women in it were more interested in stabbing each other in the back over issues other than work.
Anything from what clothes they were wearing to how so and so insulted me x years ago so I don't like her or those who talk to her.
They would fight over the dumbest issues and not concentrate on work.
Took me two years to get everyone moving in the same direction at the same time without the petty garbage taking over.
Funny thing thing was, when I left to go back to my real job, I recommended my replacement be one of the women. The fact she hated the pettiness worse than me had absolutely no bearing on her selection.
I have one of each, and I like them both. I don't think it is so much the gender as it is the qualities of the individual. Some of my coworkers have supervisors who'd drive me to quit.
Female.
You said it MUCH better than I did.
Sonds like the meetings where I currently work.
Lots of screaming and shouting, you'd think WWIII was starting.
By the end of the meeting everybody has reached a concensus, lots of smiling and joking.
Weird, but effective.
I've had both male and female bosses, and some of the men were idiots. But that just made it easier for me to work around them and do what needed to be done. They were never offended if I was better at their job than they were; they were glad to have the help. I have found that obviously gender had nothing to do with whether or not one can be a good boss. It does come into play, I think, when problems arise or competition is a factor.
I had one really great female boss, but she was tough as nails and dealt with things verrry cut and dry. She had no tolerance for idiocy, cattiness and the disregard of rules. In essence, she was a good conservative.
A man. No doubt about it. Cuz if they really piss you off, you can beat the crap out of 'em and not feel bad about it.
The administrator where I work...is a dead ringer for the person you've described above. Although I've never been in the bathroom with her.....HA!! Never will either.
The absolute crazy part is....she's not been fired yet. It's like working in Bizarro World.
FRegards,
I wouldn't mind working for a female boss as long as she's professional while not being snarky or constantly in a bad mood.
Same goes for male bosses.
Otherwise, I avoid them until payday.
I guess I am just biased because in general, I get along better with men than I do with women. It has been my experience since I was a teenager that generally, I repeat generally (just in case someone decides to jump my s*** over this), women are more shallow than men. I just can't deal with all the nail polish-pantyhose-gossip-oh he's so cute conversations. And women tend to judge people on how they look. As a woman, if you are better looking than another, you will be treated very badly. To me, that has nothing to do with mental ability or job performance, and appearance doe not seem to be a factor with men. Unless the woman happens to be a smokin hot 19 year old. ;)
A man, hands down! Almost all of the women bosses I have had were just awful...unpredictable, catty and downright back-stabbing. (Not that I haven't seen quite a few guys like that, either.)
I love having women co-workers, but not women bosses. All the male bosses I have had (with one exception) were really great people, and excellent at what they did. Male co-workers are often a PITA, though. Go figure, lol!
*snrk*
Ditto!
I just prefer to work...I've been looking for permanent work since 2002! I get temp jobs through a staffing service, but so far...
I can work for either...I just keep smiling. I don't think the boss is the biggest concern. It matters most if you get along with your co workers!
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