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