As we say, “No More!” to inappropriate workplace behaviors and attempt to dismantle longstanding and primitive attitudes and practices that infect the halls and walls of work environments, I hope that we’ll soon add testosterone laced job titles to our long “to be axed” list.
Let’s start by getting rid of the “B Word,” or “Boss,” as it is more commonly referred to in the work world.
Here’s why.
Every time someone refers to my Manager as my “Boss,” I cringe. I always have. When it makes its way into my ears, the B Word cuts like a knife leaving wounds and scars like the ones I got while learning to ride my bike at the age of seven. Those scars are still there. The purveyors may be saying “Boss,” but my soul hears “BOSS!”
It produces almost as much anger and discomfort as someone calling me the other B Word. You know the one that’s typically used to degrade and belittle women. I despise it so much that I find it difficult to type it without feeling some type of way. Someone break out the salve. I think I feel a rash coming on.
Statements that include the B Word like,“I met your BOSS,” or “Your BOSS seems really nice,” always leave me baffled and irritated and wondering who is this deity that folks gather on Zoom calls to elevate?
Over the years, I’m sure I’ve scoured hundreds of jobs on Indeed and read tons of job descriptions and somehow, I’ve yet to run across a position called, “BOSS.”
I also haven’t seen any LinkedIn profiles that list “BOSS” as a job title. Maybe the folks serving in those roles just aren’t in my circle of connections.
I’ve googled and googled and googled looking for “B Word” jobs and found NOTHING. Checked the bulletin board at work and still came up empty handed. Perhaps I’m looking in all the wrong places. If you know where these highly regarded “BOSS” jobs are posted, please let me know so that I can apply. I’ve got plenty of experience. As important as these B Words are, they must have an annual conference and a national organization with a local chapter that I can join.
If such a job title exists, I imagine the pay must be great and the benefits have got to be top tier. The only drawback is there is fierce competition. Have you ever gone toe-to-toe with any self-appointed bosses at work? I won’t call any names, but we all know people who fall into this prestigious and unofficial job class. Who in the hell left the gate open for them? Someone clearly didn’t give them enough stuff to be in charge of as kids, but I digress.
Now before someone assumes that I don’t respect organizational hierarchy or protocol, allow me to put a stop sign right there. I respect the roles of the people who I am assigned to report to by completing my assignments as instructed and on time and by referring to them as managers.
Merriam-Webster defines Manager as: one that manages: such as
a: a person who conducts business or household affairs
b: a person whose work or profession is management.
Seems sufficient to me. No need to put a name plate on top of another name plate.
Comparatively, Merriam-Webster defines BOSS as: a person who exercises control or authority or one who exercises control or authority over another.
By definition, my Manager will never be my BOSS because the last time I checked, I exercise authority and control by making all of the major and minor decisions that impact my WHOLE life including where I choose to work.
I hate to be the bearer of bad news but delivering and signing off on annual performance evaluations doesn’t make someone a BOSS. Nor does approving sick and vacation time, distributing work assignments, or hiring or firing employees. This makes them exactly whatever they were hired to be…Vice President, Director, Chief Financial Officer, etc., who’s responsibilities also include managing, supervising, and/or leading a team.
Having a BOSS implies that a stranger, who I have not vetted or approved, has dominion over, and is the ruler of, my WHOLE life. Who is this earthly being that governs my decision making and wherefore art thou? When I’m making important life decisions like where to live, where to work, how much insurance I need, where to invest my money, when to get married, when to get divorced, and all of the other stuff that life places on my front porch, where is this infamous BOSS then?
I can’t even call on this supreme being to help me do small and non-earth shattering things like cleaning out my garage, taking care of my yard, and watering my flowers.
I’m not sure where my hate for the word BOSS stems from, but I know it didn’t come from my parents or any other influential people in my life. It could be primarily due to the history of slaves referring to their male masters as BOSS. Regardless of the origin of my disdain, as an adult woman, I cannot and will not ever refer to another human being as my BOSS…not a boyfriend, not a husband, not a friend, and definitely not a person whom I merely report to at work. Not even in jest will I ever indulge in this common practice. Doing so diminishes the authority I have over my own life and that is unacceptable.
Having dominion over what I do and how I do it at work “only” is a managership. If you govern what I do at home, at work, and out in these streets, that’s a BOSS and the last time I checked, I only have one and that’s me. When my Manager begins to manage my WHOLE life, we can discuss the promotion and the title change.
To those that choose to refer to their manager, supervisor, team lead, etc., as their BOSS, to each his/her own, whichever applies. As for me and my house, I’ll walk 1,000 miles in 90-degree heat wearing stilettos and a t-shirt with the words, “I’m My Own Boss,” across the front before I’ll ever give a verbal admonishment of that magnitude to a Manager. I say send the B Word home without pay.
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While we’re at it, can we also get rid of job titles that include Chief, Deputy, and Officer? These titles reek of male dominance and have balls written all over them…literally and figuratively. The smell is pungent. These titles signify accomplishment and deserve to be acknowledged and celebrated but how, in a male dominated society, are women supposed to fully thrive with job titles laced with testosterone? How is that nomenclature still fitting in 2020? (Notice the “no men” in nomenclature. You can guess which gender came up with that word).
Continuing to allow job titles riddled with male supremacy and rich tones of police culture and structure to universally represent a workforce made up of women and men is a blatant, archaic, and oppressive slap in the face to women working in these important and impactful roles.
Hello men of power. Women have evolved, and we’re decades beyond being content with being invisible and little in the workplace. We’re in the room. In fact, we’ve been in the room, but some of you are still not paying attention to us. We ain’t little no more. We’re engaged and better than ever, and it’s time to send these testosterone laced job titles home without pay too.
While you’re marinating on what I’ve proposed and reflecting on how it impacts you, the women in your family, your female friends, and those in your professional circles, I’m seriously thinking about revising my resume to include “BOSS,” because I indeed run my WHOLE life.
Thank you for reading my thoughts about this important topic. I’ve got more articles coming up soon focused on leadership and other matters that impact women and the way we work, connect, and create.
I’d love to hear what you think about the word, “BOSS,” and other testosterone laced job titles, and why you feel the way you do, so please leave a comment below, share the article with anyone you think needs to read it, and clap if you feel me.
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Previously published on “Change Becomes You”, a Medium publication.
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Photo credit: Tamela Handie