THE GENTLER SEX.

Hutt News, Volume 3, Issue 22, 23 October 1930, Page 5

THE GENTLER SEX.

AS BOSSES THEY ARE FAIIiTJBES. Why is it that a man is unually less unpopular as a boss than a woman? And why do women dislike being bossed by a member of theiir own sex? -asks Walter Ashley in ,;the *^Sunday-ISews.''" 4 There is no doubt that many women intensely dislike beings * 'bossed " by other women. V- ~ This does not, of course, mean that many men do not equally dislike being "bossed" by other men. I have known quite, a number of workmen, soldiers, servants, and clerks whose regard for their immediate superiors has been singularly free from a devastating devotion. Women supervisors certainly have no monopoly of unpopularity j neither is the arrogance which begets it their close preserve. The hatred inspired^by their notebooks and pencils may be intense, but hardly more so than that provoked by Foreman Smith Je bowler hat,- or Head Gardener Thompson's whiskers. The fact is, of course, that no one of ?ither se?:, particularly enjoys being 'bossed" and the nearer the boss the less the enjoyment. The manager is not disliked less than the supervisor because he is a man and she is a woman, but' because he is not quite so much in evidence. He has usually other things to think about than the length of Joan's lunchhour or Gladys skirt. The worst kind of boss is the boss whose whole time and thught tare devoted to bossing —and such a boss may be of either sex. It is none the less undeniable that, other things being equal, a man is usually less unpopular as a boss than a woman. With men employees this is understandable. But women usually dislike working for a woman almost as much. -I'liy is this? • I think there are two main reasons; In • '■'•>■■* first.'place, a woman is too much like themselves. They wbuld prefer not to be bossed by v anyone. If they must: be bossed/ they want one as different from themselves as possible. This is true in all departments of if c. ! I remember, in Prance during the; war thinking what an immense pull the- officer must have who had served for years in the ranks and eventually earned his promotion over the young subaltern straight, from the school: X was quickly disabused. The men much preferred to take orders from the young subaltern. The ranked officer /was top much like themselves to inspire respect. "Who is he, anyway?" they would ask. .