Business Women: Nature vs Nurture Is A Hot-Button Topic!

We women know that we’re different from men, but (and here come the disclaimers), make no mistake, we’re not all alike!  And some men are very good with so-called feminine traits, such as emotional sensitivity and multitasking, among others.  And as I said in Nature vs. Nurture, a big part of why we’re different might be attributed to pressures other than genetics.

As for the current business world, it’s been structured in a manner that’s most comfortable for men. And the men have done a good job. Thank you! But the business world is changing:  Women are trying to fit in and other economies are coming into play with creative ideas. Our current business climate needs to weather the storm—with flexibility, cultural and emotional sensitivity, and speed. This is a perfect fit if business decides to make it easy to assimilate the traits—or talents, as I like to say—women have to offer:

• Collaborative leadership
• Information sharing
• Nonlinear, holistic thinking
• Ease with relationships
• Ease in working outside a hierarchy
• Emotional sensitivity
• Use of power as influence, rather than rank
• Comfort with ambiguity
• Ability to read subliminal clues
• Comfort with win/win negotiation
• Concern with process
• Multi-thinking
• Multitasking
• Use of intuition along with logic
• Ability to improvise
• Long-term planning
• Linking rather than ranking workers

Get ready women!  Show your talents. The most forward-thinking companies are ready for new structures and new methods. You’re a perfect fit!

Now’s here my Tip of the Week.

Tip: Be objective and take a fresh look at your company as an outsider might. Are there places where some of the talents listed above could solve problems? Be ready to talk about business structures and methods that may need re-thinking:

• Strict Hierarchy
• Command-and-Control Management
• The End Justifies the Means, and Process Doesn’t Matter
• Guarding Your Turf
• Hoarding Information
• Keeping Emotions (in control) Out of Business

The time is right. Get out there and apply your talents to the workplace. Make it better for women and better for business!

Visit our website, www.WomensMedia.com, for Expert Advice for Business Women.

Further Reading:
Podcast (always less than 10 minutes), Working in Heels, by Nancy Clark, Stereotypes, Not Differences, Are Holding Women Back —Mars-Venus Stereotypes Are Barriers To Women’s Advancement? or read it here.

Blog, Women’s Lunch Talk, by Nancy Clark, Be A Woman Who Makes As Much As A Man —Money Facts You Should Know About The Gender Pay Gap or listen to it here.

Blog, Women’s Lunch Talk, by Nancy Clark, Communicate Without Losing Your Authority —Assertive, Not Aggressive, Works Best For Women or listen to it here.

Website, WomensMedia,  by Hilary M. Lips, Radford University, Women and Leadership: The Delicate Balancing Act

Blog, Women’s Lunch Talk, by Nancy Clark, More Money? Do You Want To Ask For A Raise? —How To Ask For A Raise Even Though It’s Not The Perfect Time (It never is!)

Website, WomensMedia, by Evelyn Murphy, with E.J. Graff, Gender Wage Gap: Are you paid as much as a man if he had your job?

_________________________________________________________________