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