Are You an Equal-Opportunity Subordinate?

Earlier in my career some of my best bosses were female. But like for every pro there are faults.

The biggest is I had was to find the consistence from them and when.......i.e......PMS, that 3-5 days out of the month I worked with them and handle situations with them quite a bit different. And by handling different, I mean when issues arise and need answers to them that only they can supply, I have to soften my presentation to them on the situation, be quite a bit more cordially sometimes just on the fringes of professionalism due to the empathy.

Other than that, they were consistent, competent, honest, and actually worked harder than the males.....probally due to having to show they could due it. I actually would sacrifice myself more for them because they were willing to go into the trenches with me to get the job done.

p911

I might be an exception to the rule, but I prefer woman.

By nature they can handle multi-tasking better than us (men) and have much more endurance. My hat goes off to all women professions juggling a career, a family and female specific issues. I'd say you owe your female boss a lot of respect, for handling all that, and at the same time, getting ahead of you in a 'man's world'.

In that respect, a woman is the warrant officer or gunnery Sargent of life. Go Women Engineers!

I concur

My own experiences working as a subordinate to women in my particular professional field of film and television production, has been bad.

In one case the Producer Director who was a woman, seemed to believe that everything was free, and didn't pay the bills. In that case the damage to my career was extremely significant. I remember her asking me if she should pay a bill. I said, "Yes, you should pay that." - She didn't and while I was not responsible, I somehow got blamed for being involved at all in the work.

In another case where I was head of department, I repeatedly told the Producers, and Production, that if they didn't put money up to get fuel for the generator, it would run out. When I saw that the reality was that we were going to run out of fuel, I took money out of my own pocket, gave a woman Production Assistant the money and a fuel can, and said, "Go get some Diesel fuel."

She came back with donuts.

Night shoot, negotiations over time and pay, all moot when the Genny ran out of fuel.

In that case they had the gall to ask me "What happened?", which pushed my blood pressure during my answer so high it is likely the closest yet I have come to a heart attack.

In another case when I was working subordinate not only to the woman who was the Director, but also to the boys in short pants with ponytails walking around literally with books in hand on the job from which they wanted to tell me what to do to get the job done, this lady Director came yelling at me about why weren't things happening.

I knew why, and why she started yelling at me about it was still even out of bounds since if she really wanted things to happen she ought to have fired the pretty boy jerks that were wasting time and money.

(Sure enough I made it happen, but she really ought to have known that since I was only on as a "Third", speaking directly to me about the problem was a breach of etiquette.)

Certainly I was raised to give due honor to women and was willing to work to the best of my abilities to achieve the best possible results in the time allowed, with the resources available, but I have to admit, my experiences working as a subordinate to women in charge of the money, time, and operational strategies and tactics, damaged my career, with only one exception, out of 5 or six.

In one case I simply sicced my my girl on the other woman knowing that whereas because I was a man, she was better equipped to deal with this woman, than I was.

Had I not had my girl to set on the other girl, well, I would have likely lost money.

Take it as you will, man or woman, that's just my story.

Of women I know of that I'd like to work with, Sofi Coppolia is one.

I think very well of Lost In Translation.

I thought I simply told my story, which I wrote only from experience, and as much for women as men.

I closed by saying there was a woman whose work impressed me, and I would like to work with her, if ever given such a chance.

In collaborative work situations to achieve great work, sexism and racism, ageism, or theocratically based prejudices must be suspended.

Certainly while I am pretty much a male, yair, I'll get on my back sometimes.

Sure enough the sexes are different and you are a fool if you don't accept that, as either a man or a woman.

Depends on the wifes mood.

I have learned.

A man, simply because communication and values are so much easier because of the commonalities.

I've had good and bad bosses of both sexes. No consistent trends that I see.

I've seen the "best of the best" and the "worst of the worst" in both cases. I would rather have a man as the supervisor/manager. Wait for it!

The first engineering company I worked for, third project, was a $600 million project. I worked 16 hours a day (2 weeks on and a weekend off), for 9 months. Then we got to the startup commissioning phase, and I got a break. I worked 12 hours a day (2 weeks on and a weekend off), for the next year. There was a female engineer on the job who worked harder than me. And I wondered what it cost her - in her personal life. But I had a great deal of respect for her. I would work for her anytime.

Same company, second job. I knew a female engineer who stood with her legs on either side of the customers (sitting in front of her), and her - well, crotch - was 6 inches away from his face, while she was trying to get him to sign-off on a part of the project. And I wondered the same thing: "What is this going to cost her" (in terms of self-respect). I did not respect her, and I never will.

The best of the best are a treasure, you will push yourself, and it will be appreciated. And that is true of both men and women. The worst of the worst will get you fired if your lucky, crippled if your not, and killed if you are unlucky. And that is true of both men and women.

Whether you like it or not, currently it is a male ruled industrial world. And the worst of the worst men can get you killed - out of greed. The worst of the worst women are more likely to cause those around you to lose all the blood supplying their brain - and get you killed. Sorry, but it is true. Perhaps someday it will change. But not until the psychological makeup of people changes. Deal with the facts.

Personally, I would rather work for the best of the best woman. But that just isn't the reality of the situation now.