Which Bosses Are the Best?

How do you like your boss? Sympathetic, empowering and not too busy, probably. They will be aware of the pressures of your job, but delegate responsibility where appropriate. They will be interested in your career development. Oh, and, preferably, they will be male.

In a survey for Royal Mail special delivery, a quarter of secretaries polled expressed a preference for a male boss. Only 7 percent said they would prefer a woman. The future of management may be female, but Ms. High-Flier, it seems, can expect little support from her secretary (The Guardian, oct, 2008).

One should not, of course, assume that all secretaries are female, but women still make up the overwhelming majority. So it makes uncomfortable reading for those who like to believe that a soft and cuddly sisterhood exists in the previously macho office environment, where women look out for their own. The findings also raise questions about neat predictions of a feminized future for management, where 'womanly' traits such as listening skills, flexibility and a more empathetic manner will become normal office currency.

Business psychologist John Nicholson is surprised by the survey's findings, asserting that 'the qualities valued today in a successful boss are feminine, not masculine'. He is emphatic that women make better bosses. "They listen more, are less status-conscious, conduct crisper meetings, are much more effective negotiators and display greater flexibility."

They are also considerably more common than they used to be. According to information group Experian, women are no longer scarce in the boardroom - they occupy a third of the seats round the conference table. Women directors are still relatively uncommon in older age groups, but among young directors the proportion is growing.

Anecdotal evidence suggests that a reluctance to work for a woman may be more a question of management style than substance. "It's just women bosses' attitude," says Martha, a PA for 25 years who has worked predominantly for women, including a high-profile politician. "It's something women have that men don't. when they are critical they are much more personal, whereas men sail through not taking a blind bit of notice."

Sonia Neill, a former secretary at Marks and Spencer, has experienced power struggles between women even where there was a significant disparity in status. "Women either find it awkward to give you work or they try to assert themselves by giving you really menial tasks. Men never do that.