Ask any of my old school chums. They’ll tell you. Yeah, maybe I was funny sometimes, and a pretty good student – but I got in trouble for being bossy. I simply expected everyone to follow the direction I provided.
As I began my career, the most dead-on piece of feedback I received was in the mid 90’s. My boss at the time wrote “She has little patience for those who do not meet her expectations.”  Yup.  

My nieces and nephews will tell you I’m still bossy. I try to tell them what to do all the time. God bless them, they’re all adults now and will happily tell me to go fuck myself. 
That’s a pretty good reality check. 

The type of work I do doesn’t help. I have to require people to do what I want all day long.  Comes pretty naturally. (Insert eye roll here) I’ve always received very high marks for my “leadership ability” (corporate-speak for “bossy”). 

I would absolutely be the first person voted out of Survivor. I’d be trying to organize our efforts, identify roles and responsibilities (Shelter-building: you! Fishing: you! I’ll gather wood!) 
The “tribe would speak” in a heartbeat. 

My husband and I have come to the conclusion that if we need to negotiate for something such as a lower price, or some other benefit, he needs to do the talking. He is much more charming than I when it comes to that. 

However, if someone/some company has wronged us and we need to negotiate for some recompense (like Comcast, for example?) let me at ’em. 

In the past few weeks, it’s also come to my attention that some people perceive my bossiness as rude. They have even inferred that I am (gasp!) a bitch. 

That was an excellent reality check. 

I’ve always tried to be a loving person, a good daughter, and a supportive friend. So when I hear that someone thinks I’m a rude bitch – my immediate response is EEEK!

The fact that we communicate mostly via the written word nowadays doesn’t help. Everyone knows that emails, texts, and social media posts don’t convey emotion very well. That’s why we have emojis. They only go so far. 

So if I need or want something done, I have to say would ya, could ya, if you don’t mind, when you have a moment, sorry to be a bother…..blah, blah, blah. 
Ain’t nobody got time for that!

My brain is wired to be bossy. That’s the reality. I will direct you to do such and such – always with good intentions and usually for the greater good. I’ll say please. I’ll say thank you. I’ll express my appreciation in a myriad of ways. 

As I’ve gotten older, I’ve preferred to use the term “requiring.” 

That’s really just calling a zebra a striped horse.

I’m still a bossy kid. 



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