“I want every little girl who’s told she’s bossy to be told instead that she has leadership skills.
Sheryl Sandberg
Please. Do not tell your bossy daughter that.
Understand: Bosses are not leaders.
I was a bossy girl (surprised? Good; you shouldn’t be). I didn’t give a shit what my friends wanted; I did my thing and I made them do my thing with me. I was controlling and rude and awful because I didn’t care. In short, I was selfish.
Selfish, uncaring, rude, controlling are not leadership skills.
Selfish, uncaring, rude, controlling girls are not leaders.
Yes: Leaders and bosses have to be resolute, focused, driven.
But leaders care.
Leaders will go to the trenches with you. Hell, a good leader will go first;
Bosses tell you to go and report back.
Bosses do what they want to do;
Leaders do what’s best.
Please. Tell your bossy daughter that if she wants to be a leader, she has to care.
Tell her that it’s OK to take command of the troops, but that it’s not OK to force the troops to march single file into a battle she’s not prepared to fight in with them.
Tell her that it’s OK to have new ideas, but that it’s not OK to refuse to hear anyone else’s.
Tell her that it’s OK if not everyone likes her for sticking to her guns, but it’s not OK to make someone feel lesser because they use different guns.
That kind of daughter is a boss; she’s not a leader.
Mary's One Hundred 