Our amazing brains can put us at odds in the workplace. Learn how male and female brains differ and what you can do to bridge the gap in the workplace- and at home!

1. A presentation brought to you by Motaz Hajaj
GENDER
IN THE
WORKPLACE

2. Run on different operating systems
MEN & WOMEN

3. WOMEN IN
WORKPLACE
Feel as if
they’re fighting
fires that they
know how to
prevent
See women as
incompetent
MEN IN
WORKPLACE

4. Two Different Ways of
Thinking:
INDIVIDUALISTIC RELATIONAL

5. INDIVIDUALISTIC
(MEN’S
PERSPECTIVE)
Emphasizing status and independence
Giving information only as needed
Doing one thing at a time
Step thinking- compartmentalizing and prioritizing
Logic based decision making

6. RELATIONAL
(WOMEN’S PERSPECTIVE)
Doing many things at once
Web thinking-seeing all ramifications of a concern
Values based decision making
Connecting the dots- inductive reasoning
Collaboration- engaging together in thinking and
communicating to build new ideas
Empowering of others
Desire validation and ideas to enhance contributions

7. INDIVIDUALISTIC
Feel
imprisoned
when they
have to share
information
Feel
imprisoned
when they are
left out of the
information
loop
RELATIONAL

8. Not all women = relational
Not all men = individualistic
EXCEPTIONS
TO THE
RULE

9. Acknowledge
Differences Stop making yourself or others wrong
Understand
Differences
Know yourself
Get into another’s shoes
Recognize strengths and weaknesses
Adopt
Differences of
Others
Do unto others as they would do themselves- speak
your ideas in their language
Adapt
Others to your
Differences
Let others know what works for you
MAKING
COMMUNICATION
DIFFERENCES
WORK

10. NEUROLOGICAL
&
STRUCTURAL
DIFFERENCES

11. MALE
BRAIN • Greater activity in the cerebellum (the
doing center)
• More reliance on spatial-mechanicals and
visuals
• Less inductive processing (less diverse
data absorbed especially if it is sensory or
emotive)
• More deductive processing- from general
to specific
• One side of the brain, highly focused

12. MALE
BRAIN
• More physical, spatial play
• Connecting physically through throwing
objects, patting each other on the back,
etc.
• Eyes glazing over or reaching for an object
to squeeze, tap or toss when relationships
are discussed or lots of words of
appreciation or comfort are being
expressed
• Occupying more space physically and for
their “things”
• Link buying to spatial enjoyment (ie: video
games, and performance competition and
aggression identification—sports, etc.)
Due to
testosterone
surges in utero
and puberty

13. MALE
BRAIN • Spend less time internally
processing and thus can often be
less contextual than women
• More likely to zoom in on the facts
• May take hours to process major
emotional experiences
• Shorter memory for conflicts and
emotional stresses
Due to less
blood flow
inside limbic
system
(processes life
experiences)

14. MALE
BRAIN
• More prone to “zone or blank out” or stare
blankly (often interpreted as not caring)
during conversations with too many words
or details, or when tired or stressed
• Movement such as tapping to keep brain
focused and out of rest state
• Become bored easily with conversation
• Hold less eye contact than women
Due to brain
entering rest
state more
often

15. FEMALE
BRAIN • More activity, even in a rest state
• More verbal centers
• Greater sensory/emotive experience
• More diverse data absorbed for more
inductive processing- from specific to
general
• More cross talk between hemispheres
• Verbal fluency from both sides of the brain

16. FEMALE
BRAIN
• More relational play with objects such as
dolls
• Connecting words to feelings and bonding
using words
• Trying to extend conversations using open
ended questions
• Use all senses for activities such as
shopping
Due to lack of
testosterone
surges in utero
and puberty

17. FEMALE
BRAIN
• Constantly reassessing—running
sentences, tones of voice, gestures, facial
expressions, arguments, etc. through this
part of the brain
• Pick up on subtle signals, reading faces
• Can “overthink” relational matters
• Process information more completely
• Have more exact memories of time and
place
• May be more self-critical
• Link more emotional activity that is going
on at a given moment (mid-brain limbic
system) with thoughts and words (in top of
brain-cerebral cortex)
Due to more
blood flow
inside limbic
system
(processes life
experiences)

18. FEMALE
BRAIN
• Brain is more constantly active
• Preference for longer discussions and
more details
• More eye contact than menDue to brain
having more
neural activity
at any given
time

19. BRAINS AT REST
Women have 10 times
more white matter
connecting different brain
centers- ideal for
multitasking and
language-based tasks
Men have 6 times more
grey matter- localizing
brain activity into a single
active center that is great
for focusing on a task

20. INDIVIDUALISTIC v. RELATIONAL
In a conversation, Individualistic people focus on words gestures and
tone while relational people take all clues into context. This can create
quite a difference in perceptions of a conversation.

21. Men Women
Testosterone- fight or flight Higher levels of oxytocin, serotonin,
estrogen and progesterone- tend and
befriend
Fighting Bonding through communication
More sense of value through personal,
independent performance
More sense of value and worth
through bonds
Action- performance imperative Talk- connection imperative
BRAIN CHEMICALS UNDER STRESS

22. HOW TO ADJUST
Call differences
“Competencies”
to make them
tangible for the
workplace
Ideal for job
descriptions,
performance
reviews, etc.

23. EXAMPLE of INDIVIDUALISTIC/RELATIONAL
RESPONSES
Annie suggests to her
superior that she may get
more work done working
remotely

24. EXAMPLE
Individualistic Response:
“We’ve gone over this
before. You’re beating a
dead horse”
• challenging ideas
• finding weaknesses
• asking “prove-it” questions
poking holes in argument

25. EXAMPLE
Relational Response:
“I have heard virtual teams are more
effective if they have “water cooler
conversations”
• building a case
• adding to validity from
knowledge and experience
• asking clarifying questions
• suggesting resources

26. NOW THAT YOU UNDERSTAND…
Many women have said, “I saw my whole
career flash before my eyes- for all the
good ideas I’ve dropped after being
questioned”
“I was sure that my boss thought I was
stupid. I was ready to quit my job. Now
that I know, I just smile inside.”
Both views have their own value in the
workplace

27. HOW TO ADOPT AND ADAPT
Relational people can let their team know that they
want great brainstorming on a project before
bulletproofing it. Employees need to know they won’t
be chastised for thinking outside the box
Relational people can also learn to play devil’s
advocate and not take criticism personally
Individualistic people need to give encouragement for
good ideas
Individualistic people should learn to play angel’s
advocate and not focus on the negative aspect of an
idea

28. EMBRACE EACH
LEADERSHIP STYLE
WOMEN
Transformational leadership
• Motivating
• Coaching
MEN
Transactional leadership
• Expectations
• Passive Management

29. THE
END
SOURCE:
Banducci Consulting
www.genderwork.com