The finalists in the Most Influential Women in Business and Government (MIW) include women from the marketing and media world. Click here to read more

What makes a boss great? It's a question I've been researching for a while now. In June 2009, I offered some analysis in HBR on the subject, and more recently I've been hard at work on a book called Good Boss, Bad Boss (forthcoming in September from Business Plus).

One thing that makes organizations dysfunctional is that bosses so often lack self-awareness.

Before getting to the point of this provocative headline, here's a disclaimer: Prepare to consider widely accepted generalizations.
Translated, that means, "Included in this article are some sweeping statements presented as general truths but based on limited or incomplete evidence." But let me add this: Remember, too, that being equal does not mean being the same. Now, let's proceed.
As women gain traction as business owners and executives, gender differences are increasingly playing out in the way they run their shows. If you think that isn't having an effect on the rules of the business road, think again.