Are Women Better Bosses?

I am often asked about this question in panel discussions on professional women in managment, and while I believe you can have a great boss who is either female or male, it is interesting how we love to see the debate hashed out with one gender being deemed as the inherently the "best managers". It also hugely depends on your version of what "best" is. I was leading a mixed group at the University of Cambridge on the topic of gender difference in teams, and some of the male participants said their preferred style was to "be left alone" receiving no feedback unless their was a problem - virtually the opposite of any of the women in attendance, or indeed that I know. I recently saw the New York Times article which pits some of the most credible experts from both academic and the corporate sector to weigh in on the big question. For their opinions, read "Do Women Make Better Bosses?"