Do you prefer a male boss? Or a female boss?
By The Horse
@TheHorse (238247)
Walnut Creek, California
May 17, 2026 12:19pm CST
I know I asked this question a few years ago. I am still interested in others' responses.
Yesterday, the Assistant Manager at Guitar Center, a female, told me that I should not wear open sandals to work.
I am battling an ingrown toenail on my left foot, and wearing sandals during warmer weather alleviates the pain.
A couple of days before that, the Manager, also a female, had asked me why I use "inventory" guitars to teach guitar lessons, when cheap "donated" guitars were available.
I said, "Because they're good," but she was gone before I could really explain. I "sell" good guitars by playing them during lessons. One of my students recently purchased a $1,000 Martin guitar from us after hearing it played by me repeatedly during our lessons.
A few years ago, that same Manager/Supervisor told me the cologne I was wearing is too strong. It is Patchouli, a "hippy" scent from the 1970s. It is associated with "hippy" music, like the Eagles, CSN, and the Grateful Dead.
My male supervisors have never criticized me for what I am wearing, what instruments I use during lessons, or how I smell.
They are not perfect. Our new "Lessons Lead" spends most of his time on his cell phone. I have no idea what he is looking at. I am losing students. They are not being called back when they want to reschedule.
OK, so back to my original question: Do you prefer a male boss? Or a female boss?
15 people like this
14 responses
@RasmaSandra (97850)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
17 May
When I worked in NYC on marine insurance one of the companies has a top boss and two under bosses for us insurance agents. The top boss was a Chinese man who thought he was the second coming of the Lord and none higher than him and the two under bosses were a gay couple and I tell you these women were a piece of work,
5 people like this
@TheHorse (238247)
• Walnut Creek, California
17 May
@RasmaSandra I think so too.
3 people like this
@wolfgirl569 (135493)
• Marion, Ohio
17 May
Usually prefer a male boss. Too many women let it go to their head
5 people like this
@wolfgirl569 (135493)
• Marion, Ohio
17 May
@TheHorse Like they are suddenly better and smarter than everyone else. Some men do too but not as often.
5 people like this
@TheHorse (238247)
• Walnut Creek, California
18 May
@wolfgirl569 Interesting. I had not thought about that.
1 person likes this
@AmbiePam (120414)
• United States
17 May
I have never liked patchouli. However, she ought to have kept her comment to herself. Actually, in California, I would have thought patchouli and opened toed sandals would be mandatory on men. 
I’ll be honest, I hate seeing men in open toed shoes, but you’ve got a really good reason to wear them. And it’s understandable men would wear them too.
I’d honestly rather have a female boss. I’ve had both, but I preferred the female.
I’ll be honest, I hate seeing men in open toed shoes, but you’ve got a really good reason to wear them. And it’s understandable men would wear them too.
I’d honestly rather have a female boss. I’ve had both, but I preferred the female.4 people like this
@snowy22315 (208645)
• United States
18 May
Male without a doubt, they aren't nit picky and don't take their stress out on others.
5 people like this
@LadyDuck (502002)
• Italy
18 May
I only had one male boss, only a couple of months, I was asked to substitute a secretary who had a baby. For sure I prefer a male boss. In the office where I met my husband, I had a male boss and he was a sweetheart. The woman boss was bossy, as most of women boss.
4 people like this
@Deepizzaguy (121997)
• Lake Charles, Louisiana
17 May
Male bosses since they are not easily offended by comments from males that they consider offensive.
4 people like this
@DaddyEvil (174119)
• United States
18 May
Male bosses, please!
My last two supervisors at Walmart were female and both had attitude problems once a month when I was working... I mentioned to the male Store Manager the problems I was having and one supervisor got fired over the things she was doing. The other decided she wanted a change of managers so transferred to a store with a female Store Manager. 
2 people like this
@DaddyEvil (174119)
• United States
18 May
@TheHorse The female manager who got fired kept telling me I could only answer one question from a customer and then had to move to somebody else, even if there weren't any other customers waiting. The store manager said first that I should ignore my department manager until she tried to write me up for ignoring her. Then he fired her.
Several times the designated person below the department manager who was nominally my boss when the department manager wasn't around got stopped after she tried to answer one question and moved on by customers who started yelling that she didn't care about them, their problems or good customer service. She is the one who decided she wanted a different store manager. *shrug*
1 person likes this
@TheHorse (238247)
• Walnut Creek, California
18 May
@DaddyEvil I am glad the "big people" stood up for you.
1 person likes this
@Fleura (34926)
• United Kingdom
18 May
I think it's just down to the individual person. Thinking back over people I have worked with or for in my life, the most petty was definitely male. He used to send round weekly memos about things like not using the photocopier, asking friends and family not to call us at work, not to leave food in the fridge too long, not to bring dirt in on our feet... honestly I have a whole series of them somewhere!
1 person likes this
@Fleura (34926)
• United Kingdom
18 May
@TheHorse A couple of years.
And I forgot, another petty superior was my deputy manager when I worked in a cafe in my schooldays. If I was late he would say 'You're late, go and clean the toilets'; if I was early he would say 'Oh you have a bit of time before you start your shift, you can clean the toilets first'; if I didn't look busy at any point he would send me to clean the toilets again. I was a 16-year-old girl and I had to clean the ladies' and the gents', I suspect that wouldn't be allowed today, at least not without a sign to warn the customers!
I met him again a couple of years ago. He asked if I remembered him and I told him I thought about him every time I clean a toilet 
@Shiva49 (28359)
• Singapore
18 May
I worked only once for a female boss.
I don't generalize but it was not a pleasant experience.
She was nitpicking on minor issues and putting me off.
I was checking on the net for a company matter and she accused me that I was surfing for personal purposes.
Other staff members had similar insecure feeling.
I think male bosses approach such matters differently giving more leeway.
@LindaOHio (222180)
• United States
18 May
I've had both. The male boss that sticks out in my memory was useless. I used to write his memos for him; and he would get praise from the other facilities on how he explained things. He never worked overtime and came back from lunch often inebriated. I think I prefer the women bosses that I've had.
1 person likes this
