The Queen bee syndrome(https://indianexpress.com/news/queen-bee-syndrome/1102061/0), my last week?s article about women national leaders not fighting the female cause got me many impassioned responses. Among them was, ?Lifting women, liberating them is not a liability of women leaders. The responsibility of changing the way the world works lies with those who have enjoyed privilege because of gender, namely men. Why throw the problem back at women and wash male hands off the crimes that have been committed? Why must women compensate? Why do men always require a mommy to clean up after them??

Women national leaders are a rarity; the other extreme is subservience and crimes against women that continue unabated. Perhaps, this dichotomy raises this unjust expectation from women at the top. Similarly, if you look at women corporate bosses, you?d get equally contradictory perspectives on their managerial quality. Again, because there are a few of them, they catch the eye. I?ve personally worked with quite a few women in powerful corporate positions in several countries. Their subtlety and inquisitive, engaging approach have induced me to ideate very differently leading to ecstatic moments of creative professional life. One such experience was with Frenchwoman Patricia Turck Paquelier. I met her in 1986 when P&G had bought Pantene, a local European brand, from Richardson Vicks and she was made to drive the brand. Our most spectacular work together was the reinvention of old Pantene to make it a global success.

Rarely do I disclose to the corporate world that I paint, but Patricia discovered my canvases and was enthralled. She was always curious about the ideation platform of a creative person, how a white canvas can take an amazing creative route through the painter?s mind, brush, colours and palette. Pantene?s transformation from a hair lotion was an intense work. Patricia would inspire me to make Pantene an aspirational piece of art, beyond boundary for the consumer?s daily life. From P&G, Patricia went on to YSL, then became the managing director of L?Oreal?s Prestige and Collections International division. Her performing prowess made her a role model for men and women alike. Unfortunately, cancer snatched Patricia away in 2009 at the age of 51. I?ll never forget her incredible insight, patience and overwhelming soft skills while being rigorous and disciplined at work. My professional creative relationship with Patricia will remain like a piece of painting canvas, which forever grows in my mind.

Last month, the International Journal of Business Governance and Ethics published a study by two professors, from Canada?s McMaster University and the US AT Still University. After surveying 600 company board members, it concluded that women-influenced companies were more successful than male-dominated ones. Women directors appeared more open to using initiative and fair decisions that retain the interests of multiple stakeholders. They use consensus-building conduct more effectively vis-?-vis male directors, who decide taking rules, regulations and traditional business ways into account. The study concluded, ?Women representation in the boardroom leads to better organisational performance, higher rates of return, more effective risk management and even lower rates of bankruptcy.?

Corroborating that, a 2012 study by Universidad Carlos III de Madrid found, ?Women in top posts lead in a more democratic way, allow employees to participate in decision-making and establish interpersonal channels of communication much better than men.? The obvious result is more well-informed decisions using employee feedback and employees getting better bonded. Sharon Meers, co-author of Getting to 50/50, says what?s best about women managers is that they fight harder for their team members to get a raise, and they give forthright, implementable feedback.

In contract, the queen bee boss also appears to exist. As per the American Management Association, at some point in their career, 95% women have felt undermined by other women. Psychologists at University of Cincinnati found women bosses can be an obstruction to ambitious women reportees. But men who report to a woman manager tend to get better mentoring, job-related support and promotions. Researchers attribute this to women over-compensating to blend in with men counterparts, so that nobody accuses them of favouring women.

TeamLease, an Indian HR services company, did a nationwide survey among an equal number of men and women employees of average age 28. Very shockingly, their finding was that corporate India considers women to be ?poor planners, bad bosses and ineffective managers?. The most decadent were Kolkatans where 84% said women are no good in business, while 62% Delhites agreed to the same. Cities with progressive views were Ahmedabad and Pune. The telling revelation is that Indians believe, ?women don?t make good bosses or colleagues because they go more by their instinct and emotion than cold logic and reasoning.?

Actually, women managers worldwide are natural relationship builders, yet are routinely undervalued. They have to be extra-competent to be recognised as effective. Getting people to accept their authority is a challenge although women use a collaborative approach unlike men who scold and reprimand to have their way. Another opinion was that women don?t get promotions faster than men because they are not pushy enough to ask for them. They believe their hard work will be rewarded, but it never is.

In the patriarchal milieu, from childhood, women absorb an understanding that their value comes from being young and attractive. Once that youth fades, they can become anxious that someone smarter and younger will replace them. It?s their personal, unarticulated psychological problem. I?ve several times heard that women in corporations, after reaching a certain level, don?t want to advance further. They say senior corporate women become like stones, stop the social gear and sacrifice family life to become careerists. I absolutely disagree. I admire the subtlety and adroitness with which top management women balance their family, social and business dealings. Men, on the other hand, have never faced any problem with age, gender or size of family. That?s because in patriarchy they are always valued, under every circumstance.

Shombit is an international consultant to top management on differentiating business strategy with execution excellence (www.shiningconsulting.com)