Lani & Ines – Now that I have good role models, I intend to use them as examples!

Tradesmen who’ve dealt with me before, now ask who will be in charge. They know it won’t be me, but they wanna be sure. The Boss takes no prisoners.

Contractors fear me! Building officials respect me and this post Vicki, cracked me up like you would not believe.

Jeff- tell Vicki how I do things so she can get *her* way too!

Matthew- oh snarky you, you’re too funny.

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Vicki- I started in this industry in property management (female dominated) and didn’t do as well as when I hooked up with commercial development (ridiculously male dominated) and even though at first, everyone thought I was the tiny helpless girl, I took ‘em by the you-know-whats and got things done. I’ve never been a b!tch, but ask anyone I’ve ever worked with- I’m persuasive because I’m not scared to TELL people what I want, TELL them directly (not harshly) that they’re failing and I expect better and then TELL them they’re fired if they aren’t performing. If they’re not doing the work anyhow, just use the F word. I mean F as in “Fired.”

Don’t WISH you were a man- JUST BE ONE!!! (minus the cargo shorts or baseball games)

Jeff – I’m printing that and tacking it to my forehead and my mirror and my dash and my peg board.

Matthew – All I can say is YEAH! That’s right!

Does it really matter what order stuff it to be done in, if he isn’t do any of it? I find it funny that folks complain about agents lack of involvement, when my personal experience has been that handy-”persons” have been far less dependable. There is ALWAYS something that happens with contractors to delay something.

I really don’t think that that it has to do with a person’s gender as much as their ability to meet a customer’s reasonable expectations.

Sorry you had that experience. I know it’s very stressful.

Turn off your female empathy gene for once, and make great, (and stress relieving) use of the words, “Your fired!”.

Find folks who will do what you want when and how you want it done.

These folks have been behaving this way with you ‘cuz it’s been working like a charm.

Once you let them know, up front, you want results and not excuses, they’ll either smile, (the ones you want) or they’ll reveal themselves as chronic pains in the ass — at which time you’ll politely pass.

You’re way too good at what you do to take this crud. Get in touch with your guy side, and kick some ass while you’re cleaning house. For every guy in your post who under performed, was tardy, and flat didn’t get the job done, there are 10 who will recognize a take charge gal (sorry, I’m 56 — deal with it) who is results oriented.

Bottom line, Vicki? You’ve been far to nice — and they’ve been mistaking your kindness for weakness. Stop giving a damn about what they think of you, and start making them sensitive to what you think of them.

Love your stuff.