| Bang! Bang! My shiny metal cap gun sounded as | | | | book Communications Miracles at Work. |
| I fired at the imaginary tribe of Indians | | | | |
| invading my suburban Atlanta backyard. Two | | | | A more feminine way of communicating is being |
| houses down the street, my childhood friend | | | | embraced in today's workplace. According to |
| Shelly cuddled her brand new "Chatty Cathy" | | | | Gilbert, a feminine communication and |
| baby doll. | | | | interaction style includes being: |
| | | | |
| Growing up in the 50s, our roles were clear: | | | | More process-oriented; more patient; and more |
| women gather and nest, and men hunt and | | | | likely to see "shades of gray." |
| fight. I was sure that one day I would go | | | | |
| into business, and Shelly would be a | | | | More collaborative; less turf conscious; |
| stay-at-home mom. Twenty years later, Shelly | | | | seeking the "win-win." |
| and I were both in business; I was working in | | | | |
| a public relations agency, and Shelly had | | | | Good listeners, facilitators, and coaches. |
| landed a terrific job in a large accounting | | | | |
| firm. | | | | Open, sensitive, emotional, and empathetic. |
| | | | |
| It was the 80s, and to succeed in business, | | | | Willing to admit mistakes and express concern |
| Shelly had to dress and act like a man. | | | | and/or sympathy. |
| Shelly did well in business, but at a cost. | | | | |
| She had to mask much of her femininity. | | | | Business is increasingly rewarding employees |
| | | | for people skills as much as business skills. |
| When Shelly's daughter enters the business | | | | The reasons are simple: not only is the |
| world three years from now, she will find a | | | | rising number of women in business |
| much different working environment than her | | | | influencing company communication, so is the |
| mother. Business is increasingly embracing | | | | marketplace. As the competition for the most |
| those attributes historically attributed to | | | | skilled employees intensifies, smart |
| women. Hierarchy is being slowly replaced by | | | | companies are realizing the importance of |
| teamwork, goals are balanced with process, | | | | interpersonal skills in attracting and |
| and relationships are being valued as much as | | | | retaining employees. In the future, only |
| transitions. Feminine energy is slowly | | | | those companies that reward such |
| forcing masculine extremes toward the middle. | | | | communication skills as empathy, |
| | | | authenticity, vulnerability, and mutual |
| The image of business today is being altered, | | | | empowerment will survive and thrive. |
| says futurist Faith Popcorn in her 1996 | | | | |
| bestselling book Clicking. "(Business will | | | | Embracing the Feminine in the Workplace -- |
| be) no longer seen as a war to be won by | | | | Add Two |
| trouncing the competition, but viewed as a | | | | |
| complicated mosaic to be developed, one | | | | The rising trend of "FemaleThink" doesn't |
| relationship at a time." | | | | mean men need to be more like women. If that |
| | | | were to happen, we would be no better off |
| In her book, Popcorn identifies a rising | | | | than we were in the 80s when many women felt |
| trend for solving business and relational | | | | they had to act like men in order to compete |
| problems with "feminine attributes" such as | | | | in business. Instead, business is challenging |
| consensus building, sensitivity, and | | | | both men and women to seek a stronger balance |
| intuition. | | | | between inner masculine and feminine |
| | | | energies. |
| Embracing the Feminine in the Workplace -- | | | | |
| Add One | | | | Businesswomen may benefit from training in |
| | | | strategic planning and selling skills, while |
| She calls this new trend "FemaleThink" but is | | | | men in business may benefit from training in |
| quick to point out it is not gender specific. | | | | such skills as listening, sensitivity to |
| FemaleThink may come more naturally to women, | | | | interpersonal differences, and giving and |
| but men can master it as well. | | | | receiving constructive feedback. |
| | | | |
| Already, studies are showing that women | | | | Corporate cultures must blend the feminine |
| managers are outperforming men in the | | | | with the masculine. Decisions must be made, |
| workplace (Business Week, November 20, 2000). | | | | but process must be respected. Connection |
| "In fact, it's becoming evident that the most | | | | must be as valued as much as competition. |
| valuable skills one can have in twenty-first | | | | Leadership skills must be complemented by |
| century business are those that women have | | | | consensus building, and men and women must |
| historically possessed, those having to do | | | | learn to respect each others' styles and |
| with people and process and relationship and | | | | learn from one another. |
| connection," writes Matthew Gilbert in his | | | | |