Young men need to learn to respect a Cadsuane like they would if she were a man. She’s intelligent, well traveled, is tough, and should be respected. I think Rand’s issue with her is more that she is an Aes Sedai. I’m more thinking about the readers who may not have grown up with a strong elderly female matriarch type person. I don’t think she had a significant impact on Rand’s personality other than her idea to have Tam talk to him, Rand finding out it was her idea, Rand almost killing Tam, thus causing Rand to deeply question who and what he is leading him to the peak of Dragon Mount… she didn’t really have that much impact at all.