Someone calling a woman over and complimenting her smile may or may not be inherently creepy per se.

[Corvo Bianco]

31. Right, flirty approval is pretty commonplace between men and women, even in professional

environments. Most normal human beings try to be nice and express approval of our colleagues. Laugh at their jokes, support their ideas, compliment their new skirt (I'm a woman and that is perfectly appropriate to me).

But many men express their approval of their female cohorts by saying, with words or with glances, "I am man. You are woman. I like." It is as if these men believe she walked out the door waiting to bask his approval of her woman-ness. OR, her womanity is the only attribute he deems useful to him, thus the only attribute he notices.

But being liked for being a woman (nice smile), and nothing else, denies the value of her intellect, her worries, her joys, her humanity. When I was confiding in a male friend about the sickening, belittling experience of being asked how much I cost, he agreed it was horrible, then consoled me by saying "that's a compliment it means you're pretty". Being an object isn't a compliment. Knowing your thoughts don't mean very much means your words don't mean very much which means you have no power. That's scary, not exciting.

I know women and men (or any potential sexmates) can't help flirting with each other at times. It is a damn natural way to confess that someone is delighting you. And it feels good for both parties if the footing is equal, the will is good, and the feeling is more or less mutual. The problem is that flirting from a position of power isn't flirting, it's not flattering, it's legitimately threatening because the only way out is a confrontation that will injure his pride and cost you your job. So there's no way out.

Scary, don't flirt with your subordinates! (Message for the world)