In her Words
She's the Boss
Why women make better managers
By: Kristin Johnson
Throughout my career, most of my managers have been men. I had always felt that male bosses suited me best until I started my current job, where I'm reporting to a woman. And here's what I found: As is often the case in personal relationships, women are far superior communicators and do a much better job addressing needs and issues as they happen.
Case in point: In prior roles, when I worked for men, my performance feedback was generally limited to "good job." If I wasn't doing something right or I could improve in some way, it was either never discussed or brought up months later in a formal evaluation, far too long after I could have changed anything.
My new, female boss is much better at following up with me and making sure everything is progressing smoothly. I'd always believed I wanted to be left alone to do my job, but now I enjoy weekly meetings with my manager, where we catch up and discuss what's working and what isn't. I feel that I'm appreciated and that my contributions are important.
I guess I shouldn't be surprised that a woman is a better communicator in the office and that her concern for others leads her to check in more frequently. Perhaps it's the reality of our modern-day workplace, as maternal instincts seep from the kitchen into the cubicle. Either way, I'll place my bet on the girls over the guys, any day.
