Tips for the Workplace

We expect our first posting caused you to look at the importance of promoting yourself if you are a woman, or the importance of taking the time necessary with your female colleagues to build rapport if you are a man. These tips alone can increase both our and our organization’s effectiveness. Did you apply one of these tips since the last email? Remember, thinking about them does not make them effective. Taking action, implementing them does. We must always remember that the whole premise of the Mars and Venus in the workplace is that we are different and equal – not that one is better than the other – different and equal.

Tip for Women

One of the ways women undermine their own abilities in the workplace is by using tag endings. These are a couple of little words that are often added on to the end of a sentence, like “isn’t it”, “is that ok”, “maybe”, “I think”. These tiny words serve to make you look unsure and change a sentence or what could be a powerful statement into a question. For example, “We should close down our manufacturing division because it is consistently losing money” is a powerful statement. “We should close down our manufacturing division because it is consistently losing money, shouldn’t we?” shows that you don’t really know if it is a good idea or not. With this new awareness, avoid these words that will otherwise reflect some degree of uncertainty.

Tip for Men

Men, when there are women involved in an open discussion, try to remember that it is not their natural tendency to speak over the top of others. If she is not freely contributing, ask for her opinion to draw her into the conversation. She most likely has something very valuable to say and will appreciate you for allowing her to speak. Please don’t speak for her, even if you perceive that it would be easier. Once she is speaking, try not to interrupt her. Practice your active listening skills. As a little aside, the number one complaint from women all over the world regarding relationships, both personal and business, is that they don’t feel heard.

If you found this information helpful, click to learn more about the Gender Intelligence Course. In just 5 live sessions, learn to bridge communication gaps, manage stress dynamics, and create deeper connections. Inspired by Dr. John Gray’s best-seller Men Are from Mars, Women Are from Venus, this course offers lifetime access, science-backed tools, and personal coaching to help you build lasting harmony at home and at work.

The Relationships You Want. Start Here.

Mars Venus Coaching Team