I’ve led many teams, big and small, and the thrill is the same when it’s really working. To find the right people; to foster teamwork and camaraderie; to be surprised by someone’s great idea; to see that idea develop into something truly wonderful—these are a few of the elements that make work truly rewarding. 

But type “women bosses” into Google and here’s what you get: “5 Mistakes Women Bosses Make”; “Bad Female Boss? She May Have ‘Queen Bee’ Syndrome”; “Do Women Make Better Bosses?” My favorite is this thread: “Why Men Hate Working for Female Bosses.”

Clearly, we have some PR work to do, at least among reporters who love a sexy “queen bee” story. While we at Working Mother and our sister organization, the National Association for Female Executives, work on that, I encourage you to continue building the skills that will make you a great leader at any level. Our story “The Sweetest Success,” will help you navigate the many training and networking options now available to find the best ones for you (along with some DIY options for those of you at smaller or less progressive companies). And check out our powerful NAFE Top Companies for Executive Women and ourWorkday section for even more great ideas.

Reality check: We women make up half the workforce. It’s time we made up half the bosses as well! 

From the February/March 2012 Issue of Working Mother