Time was, men didn't know how to act.

I find it fascinating to follow trends and generational shifts. Perhaps it's worth noting, for the record, where we are and to forge an appropriate outlook for men today.

Warning: Some indulging generalizations follow.

The woman's movement of the 60s-70s offered up liberation and new opportunities to create the life they wanted, no longer tied to a traditional path.

I recall meeting Betty Friedan, author of the landmark book, "The Feminine Mystique," in college. I was a news writer for an NPR-affiliate, and my boss conducted an on-air interview.

Wow was that a difficult experience.

What a dogmatic person. Perhaps that confrontational demeanor was required for a prior generation. Or at least to ensure great headlines.

This was more of an issue for our parents to contend with, more apparent through the baby-boomers. I'm a 'tweener,' the generation squeezed between baby boomers and their children. I find the differences interesting - things the younger generation now take for granted, clearly the older did not.

I recall my first few jobs, in a field dominated by women, to be difficult at the outset. Women couldn't just 'be themselves,' they had to be more abrasive, stubborn, difficult - and ironically lost their most endearing, supportive qualities in the process.

As women found themselves, men sort of got lost. Men compensated by pulling a role-reversal. Starting men's support groups, discussing how their inner-child needed healing.

Woody Allen was voted the sexiest man in the world by People Magazine shortly after the release of 'Annie Hall.' (I love bringing this fact up to women today - always good for a laugh.)

Some of these trends brought out some great good. No doubt. Men realized it was okay to have fears, doubts, not to keep everything bottled up or channelled in destructive ways (to self or others).

But perhaps that cultural pendulum went too far. Too many self-help books focusing on past hurts, too much digging in the emotional dirt that only leaves things muddy.

And you know what happened? Women became more frustrated than ever.

The slippery search for the 'real man' was on.

Where did he go? "That guy with the scarey tattoo - that might be him."

Women really want great guys. But what it means to be a 'great guy' today has been illusive, and really at the core of this material I'm sharing.

It's okay for men to have feelings. Anger, hurt, insecurities. Don't deny them; Acknowlege them. They are real, and need attending. Productively. Being a great guy means finding solutions to problems. It's amazing what a great workout can do to snap out of a self-imposed funk.

With women, be supportive and caring, but also be the source of emotional shift - understanding what's really going on underneath the surface.

Women worry. It's in their nature. One of the best qualities men offer women is way they can create an attitude adjustment. Often through humor; getting mushy when absolutely necessary.

Because at the core, things are solid. That's what it means, in essence, to be a great guy.

The pendulum has swung back. Today is a great day to be a guy.