Language matters. It has the power to influence the way we perceive things. There are many common words in the English language which, when viewed objectively, would seem prejudiced. For example, the word ‘mankind’ has been used to collectively refer to the human race, and women are part of this ‘Mankind’. Adding a prefix like ‘lady boss’ or ‘women leader’ reinforces the fact that the word ‘boss’ or ‘leader’ is inherently masculine. So, a Boss lady or a lady Boss not only has to prove her worth, she also has to change people’s mindset.
What are the wrong steps a Boss Lady can take when she becomes the boss? She may try to duplicate the male leader, his behavior, his style, his personality. To cover the fact that she may be soft, emotional, and vulnerable inside, and to show her authority over her male subordinates, she may often raise her voice, dictate terms, and not hear what others have to say.
Sometimes the Lady Boss may be a perfectionist, expecting nothing less than excellence at all times. Her critical, negative behavior, constant sarcasm, and unhappiness in everything will affect her team, and she may be viewed as a toxic female boss. To prove her ability, the Boss Lady may work tirelessly both at work and at home and strive to be the all-efficient boss, the dutiful wife, and the perfect mother. She wants to be admired, to look smart, to be the best, and this may lead to the building up of stress, tension, and frustration which may lead to a breakdown.
On the other hand, the Boss Lady may be apprehensive, worried, unsure of her ability of handling the responsibility and constantly seek help or advice from colleagues. She may be doing a good job but lacks the confidence to project that at the right moment. This will make others think she is not capable and doubt her ability as a leader. So how does our Boss Lady rise above all this and do justice to her role?
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Firstly, by believing in herself and understanding that there are several qualities which women have that make them natural leaders.
- She understands the importance of empathy and of nurturing relationships.
- She is naturally a good listener and problem solver, gained from handling young children or siblings.
- She values the importance of work-life balance.
- She encourages free thinking, focuses on teamwork, and advocates the importance of mentoring.
- She can recognize and encourage people with different talents and abilities.
- She is capable of multitasking and crisis management.
- She is generally more resilient and adaptable than her male colleagues.
- Her communication skills are strong, thus promoting collaboration.
- She understands the importance of planning in advance in detail.
- She can demonstrate balance & impartiality.
- She is capable of long-term strategic thinking.
The list could just go on. Studies have shown that women, in general, have higher emotional intelligence than men, and this is what is important in a leader.
Not all are born leaders, so for the Boss Lady to achieve this leadership position, she should start from an early stage to develop herself. She has to gain subject knowledge, IT skills, increase her general awareness of happenings in the country and globally, learn etiquette and grooming, enhance verbal communication and public speaking skills, and know about the company she is associated with. This would give her the confidence needed by a leader. She has to aim high and set career goals for herself.
There was a lady officer in a Public Sector Undertaking who shared the secret of her success in becoming a Board member. She said that, from the start of her career, she had set herself the goal of becoming one of the Top executives of the Company and steadily worked towards the same. During a strike of the canteen staff, in spite of being at a junior level, she volunteered to make the food arrangements for an important meeting scheduled for the day. She went to the extent of serving and even clearing the plates. This was noted and appreciated. In another incident, a very senior Official was charged in a case against a Union Leader and no one was willing to defend him in the official proceedings as they were apprehensive of the repercussions if they lost the case. She offered to defend him, reasoning that “I will have the opportunity of interacting with senior officials during the case proceedings and even if I lose, this in itself would be a boost to my career”.
The Boss Lady has to take care of her own well-being. It is important to sleep well, eat on time, and avoid habits which are detrimental to both physical and mental health. It is better to build wellness rather than treat the disease. Maintaining ethical standards is essential in mental well-being. Understanding financial matters, doing structured financial planning from the start of a career, and being physically active are also essential.
If one is managing both office and home front, where both are very demanding, it is not shameful to ask for help at home from your husband, parents, or other family members. It is not degrading if you do not have the perfectly maintained home with not a thing out of place. In the office, the Lady Boss should ensure that she is not the only one working. By motivating her team, sharing with them the big picture, and by highlighting their efforts, she can effectively ensure not only timely completion of the job but going beyond. She need not spend time to check all details herself to ensure correctness.
However, understanding the capabilities and trustworthiness of the team is important before delegating jobs down. Striving for excellence is motivating, striving for perfection is demoralizing. Trying new ideas, encouraging creativity, taking risks may seem daunting, and it may seem easier just to follow the tried and tested methods, but the Boss Lady has to keep in mind that the environment is changing constantly and to keep up with it, innovation at the workplace is essential.
With an aura of positivity, strength, and courage, lady bosses have the remarkable power to influence the people around them. The capability of women is very nicely put in a common proverb taken from a 1865 poem by William Ross Wallace which states that:
“The hand that rocks the cradle is the Hand that Rules the World”.
So let us all raise a toast to the BOSS… because SHE is the present and the future.
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