She's The Boss

My first female boss was the best boss I ever had.  She was also the toughest.

What a powerfully precious combination.


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She was not only likable and hilarious but an effective, hard-working, detail driven manager.  I cannot recall laughing as much and working as hard as I did in the years with her.   I have long left the Philadelphia corporation where she guided me.  She, on the other hand, has risen to one of a handful of Executive Vice President positions in the multi-billion dollar company. 

Her formula was plain - work hard at a job you love; everything else will flow.

It may sound corny, but I am grateful for her. She was/is a leader in every way. 

I write this after reading a recent NY Times article by Nicholas Kristof titled "She's (Rarely) The Boss" ttp://www.nytimes.com/2013/01/27/opinion/sunday/kristof-shes-rarely-the-boss.html  Kristof wrote the piece on the heels of a World Economic Forum event where international business leaders from large corporations met to discuss global poverty. http://www.weforum.org/

Kristof noted that female participation in the forum was 17 percent.  "Not surprising considering that global business and political leaders are overwhelmingly male," he wrote.  In the US, statistics bear this out with "only 17 percent of American Fortune 500 board seats held by women, a mere 3 percent of board chairs are women." Also, there are few women in the Obama cabinet.


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Looking for a female executive view, Kristoff spoke with Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg.  Unsurprisingly the historical combination of chauvinism and corporate obstacles continue to be hurdles.  Sandberg added her perspective stating, " We (women) hold ourselves back in ways both big and small by lacking self-confidence, by not raising our hands and by pulling back when we should be leaning in."  Her book, due out in March, is appropriately titled, "Lean In."

My boss definitely leaned in.  She was not one of the boys but she demonstrated to them that her work was integral to success.  She had/has concrete finesse.

Sandberg sees both sides of the equation needing attention for women.  "I am hoping that each woman will set her own goals and reach for them with gusto," she noted in the article.  "And I am hoping that each man will do his part to support women in the workplace and in the home, also with gusto."  

Kristof adds his thoughts," we need more women in leadership positions for another reason: considerable evidence suggests that more diverse groups reach better decisions."

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I joined my boss' staff a few weeks before I was getting married and taking a two week vacation. Yes, legally she had no way of knowing this but I told her during the interview because I thought she had to know about my absence right out of the gate.  She was non-plussed.

She was already a young mother of one son when she hired me. Her second son was due in a few months.  She didn't make parenting look easy but, just as she did in the office, she worked hard at working things out.  Learning my job as well as what I would need to do during her leave left me breathless, excited, nervous. 

She was always in the office by 6:30 am.  She was a powerful influence who  presented an ease that welcomed managers, employees, executives.    People wanted to know her and be known by her.  Work was her arena; information, her armor. 

When I left my job after having my first child, I recall telling her my greatest regret was that we would definitely lose touch.  She was appalled at the thought.  I said, "I've seen firsthand how work crushes your friendships. There's just not enough room."

Eight months later one of the best calls came from her asking me if I wanted to return in a job share with another co-worker.  She configured this option and it lasted for five cherished years.  That 'parent-friendly' arrangement made me want to work better, harder.  She knew what she was doing.

I visited her in her current position a few years ago. Her job may have changed but she hadn't.  She was still warm and powerful all rolled into one. I couldn't help but think about what life would have been like had I continued working with her.  Those who did have had a template for success in their grasp.

This is her finest gift.  Showing other women (and men) how to succeed.