Yes, masculine insecurity, which is when you are overly preoccupied with seeming, as the previous poster pointed out, like a “big boy”. Masculinity, just so you know, is definitionally not restricted to men, but is a broad collection of traits that can apply to all genders. As you can easily observe, many women go to great lengths to avoid any association with masculinity. How could they possibly be concerned with this in the first place, if that state was inherently unavailable to them?

Many women, contrarily, seek to amplify their presentation of masculinity. Many masculine traits are especially sought after by those in positions of authority, cultivated as a means to maintain that authority. After all, power, competition, and control are a few of many quintessentially masculine traits. Your former CEO presented as “cutthroat” because of her masculine insecurity, in fact.

You will find that masculine insecurity is abundant in all executive suites, regardless of anyone’s gender