We can use emoticons in real life...it's called our face. Just sayin'. (:-Þ

This one is tough. Someone who always has to be right is difficult to deal with. I know because I have to constantly fight to avoid being that person. And I often lose! (see what I did there? )

I'll give the classic "dude advice" which is going to be unpopular with the women so close your eyes. You need to...I said close your eyes! Stop reading this, woman! You, too...I see you over there. Geez. Can't get any privacy around here.

Anyway, you need to take the initiative. This is a difficult situation for guys. On one hand we're supposed to be "sensitive" to the new girl power thingy but on the other hand we're still supposed to be men. This is harder than it sounds.

A woman who always has to be right is doing one of two things. First she may genuinely just that opinionated (or even right...never discount that possibility!). The second one, and more common one (and the only one you can actually do anything about) is that it's one of those annoying subconscious tests she likes doing and pretending she doesn't know about. Good thing the ladies aren't reading this or I'd have them all over...hey! I see you! Shoo!

The test is simple; will you stand up to her? Most women simply don't respect a guy they can push around. So they try anyway. It's a test to see if you're willing to stand up to her. Don't take this the wrong way...this does not, by any means, mean that you need to take control in all things or boss her around. An abusive guy is worse than a wimpy guy. Pushing back means leadership, not domination. There is a difference.

Stand up for yourself. Argue your point and stick by your decisions. Don't try to change her views but make sure she understands that you have your own and you are not going to just let her shut you down. She'll either respect you for it or she'll never respect you anyway. A guy with no confidence in themselves isn't going to keep a woman's attention for long. I hate to say it that way but it's the truth. Be strong enough to admit when you're wrong but also be strong enough to stand up for yourself when you're right.

There's a time to compromise and there's a time to stand up for yourself. Don't be afraid to disagree with her because you fear jeopardizing your relationship. Couples fight, couples argue over stuff, couple disagree. She won't be able to trust that you are willing to contradict her if you never argue with her. Few people want a puppy as their partner. If you show you can stand up to her she'll be able to trust that you are being honest with her when she wants your opinion on something that matters to her.

Many women don't like this kind of talk. They see it as chauvinistic and domineering. That's why I made them leave the room (even if I see them over there trying to listen at the door! You're not as sneaky as you think you are!). But the truth is that women don't respect a guy who never takes the lead. These guys are the stereotypical "Nice Guys®" who stay permanently single and resentful.

To use a dancing example when taking the lead you need to be firm, clear in your frame, and confident in your step. Even when you mess up you still need to shake it off and keep going. You need to think ahead and don't let her back-lead and throw things off. That doesn't mean you need to grab her and be rough, rude, or overly controlling. You just need to maintain your base and be the pivot point, the home base which allows her to be herself and yet aligned with you at the same time.

Women often think they want a guy who does what they say until they actually experience it and are surprised when the guy starts to simply disgust them. They'll get progressively meaner and bossier about it just to see how much they can push the boundaries.

If you don't push back you're going to get pushed out. There's nothing wrong with a woman being strong-willed (I prefer it) but you have to be able to hold your own or it doesn't work. I hope that helps.

Oh, women, you can come back now. I just told him that he should be understanding, tell her how she is making him feel, and buy her a lot of flowers. Yeah, that was it.

Jacquesne