Look at any industry today, and you’ll find that more women in Singapore are breaking the “glass ceiling” by moving higher up the corporate ladder. That’s good news for both men and women, because we want to believe that our career advancement depends on our individual ability rather than our gender.

However, it’s also true that we are, only human, and the popular stereotype of the office shrew who makes life miserable for the staff and colleagues is still very much around. It’s the stuff of office gossip and countless water-cooler conversations, and it’s not unusual to find people complaining about mean and unreasonable bosses all the time.

The saying goes, “There’s no smoke without fire.” If that’s the case, is there any grain of truth behind the popular image of the “difficult” lady boss?

What do guys think?
“Just as there are good and bad male bosses, there are also good and bad female bosses,” says 31-year-old Kirby Yeo, who works in the education field. “It depends largely on the character of the person.”

That said, he does observe differences between male and female bosses. For example, he feels that female bosses tend to be more emotional, and that they take offence more easily than men do.

But he is also quick to add that women tend to be more detail-oriented and better at multi-tasking than men. “They are also more considerate and show understanding to their staff, such as when staff have health or personal problems,” says Kirby.

Like Kirby, H.W. Tan, 36, a finance manager in the financial industry, also thinks that character is what makes someone a good boss, rather than his or her gender. He says, “When I first started working with female bosses, I had some bad experiences as some of them would shirk from responsibility, were emotional, petty, and focused on trivial matters while missing the big picture.”

“However, when I moved on to a consulting firm, I was fortunate to work under two female bosses who were willing to share their knowledge and they gave me a lot of guidance. They were also hardworking, caring, generous and helpful,” says Tan. “I have also encountered good and bad male bosses. Although I think there are more good male bosses around, it might be too stereotypical to say females make good or bad bosses.”

Andrew Tan, 33, a manager in the IT industry, sums up the men’s opinions: “Based on personal encounters so far, whether a person turns out to be a good boss is not gender biased. The traits of a good boss, such as the ability to listen, to lead, and to manage the team with integrity and respect for people as individuals are really qualities that can be imbued with through proper training, experience and are gender-blind.”

“If we argue that individuals of a certain sex make good bosses due to their association with specific qualities, then it can be argued either way for both genders,” says Andrew. “For example, if men generally are challenged in their ability to listen, doesn’t that make men make bad bosses as well?”

The ladies’ turn
Accountant H.R. Peh, 27, thinks that women make good bosses. “Women bosses can be more sensitive and understanding towards your needs,” she says. “For example, when I was studying for my exams, my female boss offered to let me take unpaid leave even when I didn’t ask for it. Females working for female bosses may also have an added advantage as they understand some of your problems, such as the need to take care of family and so on.”

She also feels that female bosses know how to fight for your rights. “For females to climb the corporate ladder, they must know how to stand up for their rights and that means they can stand for yours too,” says Peh. “Lastly, they are more detailed than male bosses, so their instructions are clearer.”

Not all women feel the same however. Alina Chen, 35, who is a senior executive in the finance industry, prefers working with males bosses. She explains, “Generally, I observe that the majority of female bosses are more temperamental and tend to let their emotions rule their heads. They also take things too hard or too personally. For example, they think you are working against her instead of the issue or problem.”

According to Alina, men tend to be less calculative in comparison, and tend not to harp so much on the trivial details. “They are task-oriented and just want the things done,” Alina says. “They are also quick in making decisions. Males can focus better on work and don’t tend to drag their family problems into the office.”

Georgina Phang, 33, a human resource executive says, “I feel that a female boss can be good or bad, depending on the situation. Sometimes, in her desire to be seen as equal to or better than her male counterparts, a lady boss will work much harder to meet the same business targets or objectives. In the process, she may end up driving her subordinates harder.” That doesn’t help to make her very popular with her staff.

“In addition, women may tend to take things too seriously or personally,” continues Georgina. “I think they should learn to relax and not take things so seriously at times. Also, certain things may not be personal attacks, so they should not take it to heart. I think overall, female bosses are excellent in multi-tasking and are good communicators.”

And the winner is…?
It’s situational. Depending on the individual’s working relationship with his or her subordinates, it’s just as possible to be a good lady boss as it is to be a bad male boss. That’s hardly a surprise.

But what’s interesting is that everyone seems to agree that men and women do indeed have different strengths and weaknesses. It may just be the case that as long as they get to work with their strengths, both men and women would stand a better chance of being a good boss. That’s food for thought.