Are confidence and boldness only praised when referring to a man?

I have worked in many different roles within the marketing and sales sector, working closely with a diverse range of industries and individuals. I appreciate you cannot paint everyone with the same brush, which makes answering a question like this hard. 

I've had experiences where I was told my assertiveness and confidence made me "scary". They said I should lower my expectations of my team members and meet them halfway. Through a lot of self-reflection and speaking to trusted mentors, I realised that these were not bad traits but simply not in line with what was expected of me, which changed the descriptive word the recipient was using. 

I have also worked with some inspiring leaders whom I would personally describe as empathic, patient and welcoming. They were fantastic mentors within the organisation but were envious of my direct approach. They loved my determination and the competitive buzz I brought to the sales floor. 

All these situations are why I started to consider this question and my personal experiences. The best organisations are those that encourage many different traits, whether they are a female or male. 

I am lucky now to be involved in marketing which is primarily known for its strong female leaders, but also in a company where I was approached over my skills, how I managed projects and my client rapport. My confidence, determination and consistency were highlighted as positive.

Thankfully the days of "little girls should be seen and not heard" are finally on their way out. We are moving towards rewarding all positive traits no matter the sex, and I cannot wait to see the positive impact it will have on all organisations similar to Halo.