Liz Smith, Thank you for your good words. We need more and more acknowledgment of women and our (their) abilities in leadership positions. I too, have worked for women bosses. Some great, some good, some disgusting. The disgusting were those who appeared to be trying too hard to do it well. Those are the types I always want to avoid. We do not need to prove ourselves, we simply need to do what we’re qualified and good at. Don’t you think? And… I can’t believe it! Someone who actually knows Helen Gurley Brown! Wow! I’ll bet you have some real doozies to share, eh? I would love to hear or read, some of the fun stories. Please do, share.

I loved Helen Gurley Brown and respected her as a business woman and the confidence she exuded. I think Liz is dead on. When you are dealing with the type of woman that Liz details, having a female boss or even associate, can make for a wonderful work experience. The day flies by because of the ability to communicate on an adult level. Humor is ALWAYS a prerequisite for dealing with one another. If you can see the light side to the heavy issues, it takes away the sting of the moment. And Liz is right about women being better equipped to multi task – we do indeed have a upper hand in that regard. Men do tend to over analyze issues, where in the time they are spent picking apart and reconfiguring XYZ, as women we have already completed 10 assignments!

Women must have the ERA amendment to gain the equality with men that gains them the equality and respect they have earned. Once the amendment is enacted women will have the equality that will open the executive doors wider for them. The ERA amendment now needs the leadership of those women in power positions to get it passed as one of the first acts of the new Congress. The time for women is now. They have waited for too long and accomplished for too much for them to miss this opportunity.

In the business arena, women bosses might be one kettle of fish, but in Academia women bosses can stink like a kettle of fish. My experience with women bosses is that they are too needy, too arrogant and in many cases unprepared for the task of being in charge. I have experience situations where the personal life of the boss dictated the work admosphere, which led to a very stressful workplace. Thank God for a woman’s ability to work through even the most difficult situations.

Many women are, Liz, like yourself (warm & generous). But many are very vicious, selfish, catty and back-biting. A lot of men are, too. My point is, women don’t hold a monopoly on those traits.