I would like to suggest that smart female leaders conduct themselves in the same way any smart leader does, regardless of gender. They should act an behave in ways that are EFFECTIVE. I believe that servant leadership/Sherpa is the most effective. Relying too much on legitimate power (in other words, throwing your weight around) can damage your relationship to those you lead and your peers and may reduce your influence in the long term. I don’t think that normalizing “bossy,” “bitchy,” and/or “abrasive” should be the goal. I don’t like those traits in any boss, regardless of the gender. Full disclosure, my boss is a woman, and she’s can be a total pain. However, for her, that’s not an end in itself. When she’s being that way, it’s not very often and it’s for a reason. Usually it’s to shock me out of complacency and to force me to recognize I need to change something. It’s certainly not so I’ll become accustomed to it. And I react that way because I TRUST HER and I value her perspective. Regardless of your gender, you have to gain the trust, admiration and respect of your peers and those you lead. Mistreating them won’t get you there.