Picture this. A female CEO running a high-risk company in the depths of the financial crisis. She knows her place and her power and she certainly knows what to expect from the team around her. She has drive, passion, enthusiasm and hardcore work-ethic. She makes the company what is it.
So why is that when she asks for tasks to be completed in a timely manner she’s called ‘bossy’?
This exact scenario has recently angered Women around the globe sparking debates and campaigns to ban the word ‘bossy’. Yep — ban an actual word.
Not a racist word, not a derogatory word, not a swear word, not an offensive word — just ‘bossy’.
Absurd as it sound, it’s actually being considered.
So why the big deal? Is it an insecurity within the Female boss’ subordinates or an insecurity within herself?
Does she doubt her role and her ability within the company that much that being called ‘bossy’ insults her? Or, is it her employees who are unable to meet her demands and standards that find solace in labeling her as ‘bossy’? Maybe it’s both.
It’s true that most Women in power are almost always stigmatized and branded. Whether we’re called demanding, over-powering, intimidating …the list goes on. But the fact of the matter is, it comes with the territory — whether we like it or not.
If we, as Women, jump on every scrutiny we get, we’ll be emotional wrecks and never achieve anything.
The word ‘boss’ is derived from ‘bossy’. So do we honestly think that by banning something it will stop people from using it? I can’t exactly imagine a penalty fine being issued if someone says ‘bossy’, can you?
Come on, lets not be so naïve here. Even if they did ‘ban bossy’ it would only take five minutes until we got fed up and insulted by being called something else.
Women need to develop more of a back-bone and just shrug it off. We can’t expect to be perceived as strong independent, self-sufficient beings and then get all emotional because of one word!
As powerful individuals we should be showing that no matter what we’re called — it doesn’t affect us. Being insulted by the word ‘bossy’ simply screams insecurity and weakness.
If men created a campaign every time we referred to them as ruthless or chauvinistic we’d be telling them to pipe down too!
Personally, I think it’s a complement to be called bossy. It means you know what you want and you know what needs to be done to get it. And if the opinion of your employees really affects you that much — maybe you’re simply not the right person for the job.
At the end of the day… Bossy girls get s**t done!
