Lesson 3. Men vs. Women

Warm up

I. Discuss in groups:

1. What is the style of male and female managers in companies in your country? Are they similar?

2. Do you think there is a difference in style between men and women or is any difference usually because of personality?

3. Do you know any men who have a ‘female’ style of working? Or women who have a ‘male’ style of working?

4. Do you find it easier to work with men or women? Why?

II. The same or different?

Do men and women bring different qualities to business or is it nonsense to talk about male and female management styles?

Decide whether the following management qualities are more typical of men, more typical of women or shared by both. Which of these qualities do you think you possess yourself?

1. Being able to take the initiative

2. Being a good listener.

3. Staying calm under pressure.

4. Being prepared to take risks.

5. Being conscientious and thorough.

6. Having good communication skills.

7. Being energetic and assertive.

8. Getting the best out of people.

9. Being independent and authoritative.

10. Being supportive towards colleagues.

11. Being able to delegate.

12. Motivating by example.

13. Having a co-operative approach.

14. Being single-minded and determined.

15. Being a good time-manage

Reading

I. Read the text about the different styles that men and women have in the workplace. Look at the cartoon and say which figures you think represent men and which represent women.

Men and women do things differently. There are, of course, exceptions to every generalization, including this one.Cristina Stuart is a managing director of Speakeasy Training, a consultancy that runs courses for men and women working together. Here she describes a few key differences between the sexes in the workplace.

1. Working together

The male approach to business is competitive, direct and confrontational. The end justifies the means. Personal status and a focus on the individual are important.

The female method is collaborative. Collective action and responsibility are more important than personal achievement. Lateral thinking, as well as goodwill and the well-being of the individual, are also of great importance.

2. Tackling problems

The male approach is to go to the heart of the problem, without taking into account secondary considerations. The female preference is to look at various options.

3. Body language

Male body language tends to be challenging. Female body language tends towards self-protection. A stereotypical female pose is sitting cross-legged; the male sits with legs apart to give an impression that he is in control.

Male behaviour can include forceful gestures for example banging a fist on the desk for effect. The female style does not usually include aggressive gestures.

4. Language

The male way of speaking does not encourage discussion. Women tend to welcome others’ opinions and contributions more.

5. Conversation

Men like to talk about their personal experiences and achievements or discuss ‘masculine’ topics such as cars or sport. Women tend to talk about staff problems and personal matters.

6. Meetings

If a woman does not copy the male confrontational style, she is often ignored.

7. Self-promotion

Men find it easy to tell others about their successes. Women tend to share or pass on the credit for a success.

8. Humour

Men's humour can be cruel – a man’s joke usually has a victim. Female makes jokes against herself as a CAVEAT.Many men have a female style of working. Equally many women have a male approach.As Ms Stuart says many of the current management theorems – flatter organizations, empowerment, managing by consensus – have a female style to them.

• the end justifies the means: it doesn’t matter what methods you use; success is the only important thing;

• lateral thinking: thinking in a creative way, making unusual connections;

• flatter organizations: organizations in which there are fewer managers and people have equal status;

• managing by consensus: managing by getting everyone to agree.

Mark Powell, Ron Martinez, Rosi Jillett, New Business Matters, Coursebook