What's it like to be a female manager?

Women face many different leadership challenges as managers even today. Diversity is one of the challenges women have to battle and seek to overcome. Culture, leadership, gender relations and work/life balance are in my opinion the most pertinent topics open for discussion and research. An ever changing social environment dictates a woman's lifestyle; she feels like she has to make a decision between having a career and pursuing a family life. I don't know how you feel, but balancing both is nearly impossible for me. The factors that play into this situation are time constraints leading to a stress filled environment. Some businesses claim to be family friendly and try to cater to the career woman's needs and wishes, but is it always possible to put the woman's needs before company needs? Surely not. I am looking for insights and inputs from my fellow woman managers, moms as well as men and children of women who try their best to do it all! What makes a woman manager a great manager?