Mangement is Not a Dirty Word

Being a boss is not the worst thing that can happen to a woman.
A lot of you know exactly what I'm talking about.
We start out our careers like gangbusters. We move up through the ranks and finally we reach management and, OMG, we have people we need to supervise. We are bosses!
It's especially difficult when we move up through the ranks at one business because we have developed friendships at work. Then the dynamic changes. And, being women, we try to stay friends with our former peers, which never works.
We can be friendly, but we are no longer friends.
We have to be the boss. We have to make decisions about people we really like. and about a few people we really don't like.
It isn't easy, but advice and assistance from someone who has already done it is a big help.
I heard some good advice at JAWS in Vermont last weekend.
For example: good work is not the same as good leadership. Boy is that true. I know I'm a much better reporter than editor/manager. I had to learn a whole new set of skills for that job.
A good leader spots those qualities in others, even when they don't see them in themselves. Still, leadership is largely learned.
I didn't have to learn to show respect for my employees or to show them I cared about them or to put them as human beings first in my perception -- which are all things that are essential in management.
The tougher thing is, actually, being tough on people.  At least for a chronic people-pleaser like me.
Many of us, when we get into managerial positions, assume the same loyalty from our people as we were willing to give. But, it's hard not to notice when someone is chronically late or calls in sick regularly on Mondays.
So, we end up having to take care of those situations while keeping effluent from falling on our other employees.
When something befalls a loyal employee, we've got to have his or her back and say "come back when you're whole."
It's called "managing up," dealing with superiors. And, it's not always fun.But, if you don't protect your employees, no one else will. And your loyalty to them will bring out their loyalty to you.