When the person calling the shots is a woman, keep these points in mind:
1. Women are more comfortable with cooperation than with hotdogging."Women are much more into networks of connections and involvement," says Karen Lawson, Ph.D., president of her own management-consulting firm in Philadelphia. "They want input, and they're often interpreted by men as being indecisive, when that's not it at all. They're just being consultative."
2. The boss may nod when you speak, but it doesn't mean she's down with what you're saying."She's indicating, 'Yes, I'm listening,' " and encouraging you to go on, but it's not to be interpreted as agreement," Lawson says. "She'll listen more and talk less in the boardroom, but don't take advantage of her silence," because she's simply taking account of opinions and "weighing all options before verbalizing her own opinion."
3. If she talks about what happened on the golf course last weekend, don't think she's dropping hints."Women often draw on personal experiences to illustrate a point or explain an idea," says Lawson. Don't take it to heart.
4. Be careful about how you oppose her."Women tend to get defensive when challenged because they see it as a personal attack on their credibility," says Lawson, "whereas men see challenging as a sign of respect and equal treatment."
5. When she says, "I'm sorry," it's not necessarily an apology for wrongdoing-she just may be showing that she understands. "Women tend to say, 'I'm sorry,' to express empathy or shared feeling, and men often interpret it incorrectly," Lawson says.
6. If the boss comes to you and presents a problem that needs solving, don't dole out advice until she finishes. "She's using the man as a sounding board, and when he begins to tell her what she should do or how to handle the problem, she gets annoyed because she just wants him to listen, not solve the problem," says Lawson.
7. She's not NECESSARILY a stickler for protocol. "Women will ask for team and individual input, with relationships and impact sometimes more important than rules," says Marilyn Manning, Ph.D., president of The Consulting Team, in Mountain View, California. "A man prefers to decide who's right and wrong, winner or loser, as in all sports games."
Read more at Men's Health: http://www.menshealth.com/sex-women/gender-and-work-how-handle-having-woman-boss#ixzz1nb7F2I8y
No comments:
Post a Comment