This woman tried being assertive.…and, oddly enough, people LISTENED to her, and took her as….await for it….A LEADER….Odd how that works. She gave direction rather than asking for a consensus…she made statements that left no room for prevarication, she gave FIRM timelines…and, guess what? People treated her as they would any leader.

She, of course, claims it is “Entitled White male “swagger”” that made it all work for her….not, the fact that she was decisive, didn’t try to reach a “Consensus”,  wasn’t “inclusive” didn’t try to make sure everyone was satisfied…didn’t take excuses, didn’t give extended deadlines, just, like any real leader, expected results and was, like any real leader, firm and clear and gave orders…..and expected those orders to be followed. In  other words, she acted like a boss and got treated like a boss. Like a leader.

Her story is a perfect example why women are “underrepresented in leadership roles”…why so few are top bosses. Why they are fewer in upper management. (Hint, it has everything to do with timidity, and culture of women and failure to take charge, and little to do with your actual physical gender).

Act like a leader, and people will follow. Act like most women do and they won’t. Assertive behavior works.