Wednesday, January 04, 2006

Who says female bosses are difficult?

Much has been said, within the pillar of the corporate walls and among colleagues including members of the fairer sex, that a female boss is difficult to work with. At the risk of sounding politically incorrect and even sexist, talks are that a female boss is:

1. A control freak
2. Emotional
3. Revengeful, spiteful and grudge-holding
4. Prone to get jealous easily

Yeas ago, I might have agreed that some of the above were true, for I did work under some terrible bosses - both female AND male. Thankfully, my current boss, a female, has proven beyond doubt that the above statements are but gross generalisations and exaggerations of what female bosses truly are.

My boss is non-pretentious and easy to talk to. She has the penchant for making employees feel at ease when talking to her. Perhaps it's her persona for she's never pushy nor over-bearing. She's also very receptive to ideas and quite a babe, too! This is not to say that she's perfect. Nobody is. But I'd rather see the positive side of her - there're more to the above few that I've mentioned. If I sounded as if I'm "apple-polishing", I make no apologies for it. Cause that's the way I truly feel about her. Besides, what's the point of polishing her apple now that she's leaving, right? Hahaha.

But alas, she wrote us an email today, announcing that she's leaving for another job. I couldn't help feeling a sense of loss - a loss not only to many of my co-workers who have grown to see her as firm but caring leader, but also to the company which is bleeding because so many talents have left!

Yet, I'm happy for her 'cause I know she has the capability and talent to go further than where she is today. She's young, idealistic and full of drive and should be free to pursue her dreams. As a way of consolation, I'd like to think that we're working for a BIG company known as Singapore Incorporated. So, she never really leaves us.

Go chase your dreams, Boss.

7 comments:

Victor said...

Yes, she smsed me about her resignation while I was on course today. (Actually, I heard about it even earlier. At least, it was earlier than you.) Come to think of it, which boss would be bothered to do that, i.e. informing me of her resignation even while I was away from the office? Never, unless I happened to be er... her boss.

I was also very surprised by this turn of events. As I remarked to my colleagues at the course, "When bosses are leaving the organisation, it definitely signals an upturn in the economy, as already confirmed many times by government figures."

I immediately replied her sms which I am reproducing here as a tribute to her: "I am quite surprised to hear that. Anyway it has been a very nice experience for me to be working in your section. Wish you all the best. I will be back to work long before your last day in the office."

Every word of my above sms was sincere. I must agree with you that she's one of best lady bosses I've worked with, if not the best. I am sure some tears must have fell today within the office and without. If you didn't notice it happening, it is probably because they were doing it silently behind office partitions, maybe in the toilets, or it's because the people shedding them happened to be away from office, just like me.

Chris Sim said...

I always tell the fellas in the office how lucky we are to be working under her, DD and MDC. But good things never last, so they say. Her gain is our loss. And I've not doubt she could go far wherever she goes given her talent.

Wah Victor, it takes a real man to admit he actually shed a tear. I salute you. I only managed a "lump in my throat", but misty-eyed, I wasn't.

Are you sure that's not tears of joy, in your case? The way it was when our previous boss left us for another dept? :P

Victor said...

Chris, I where got say I shed a tear hah? Please don't put emotions into me. Read my statement again very carefully. Let me rephrase what I said: People away from the office like me, may also shed a tear (which is quite unlike me). I was referring to people like LOBN who's away on maternity leave.

Anonymous said...

i left a comment in the previous entry :)

so far, all my bosses are male. and they suck. they really do. :)

- EteL

Chris Sim said...

I'm sorry Victor, if I've misunderstood what you said. If you'd allow me to quote your exact sentence: "I am sure some tears must have fell today within the office and without. If you didn't notice it happening, it is probably because they were doing it silently behind office partitions, maybe in the toilets, or it's because the people shedding them happened to be away from office, just like me.

Pse see highlight in bold. Isn't that what you meant? That "People shedding them, just like me, happened to be away from the office"?

I knew you're not a softie, Victor. I do apologies again for having misconstrued the exact meaning of how you truly felt.

Victor said...

Chris, your comment reminds me of this joke about a Church sign:

"The ladies of the Church have cast off clothing of every kind. They may be seen in the basement on Friday afternoon."

Please get your sentence structure straightened out. Different word order can convey very different meaning but one should never try to read beyond what a sentence is trying to convey. :)

Chris Sim said...

Hehehe.. Isn't it amazing, dear Victor, that sometimes, our brain just chooses to read what it wants to read? Now my friend, let's not get defensive. I misundertood what you meant and I've apologised. What more do you want?

Back to the problem of misinterpretation of our sentence structure.... we cannot undermine the importance of punctuation too. How do you interpret the following sentence:

"A woman without her man is nothing"

Both men and women will punctuat it differently. Give it a try pal. Tks.