Men Are From Mars and Women Are From Venus - What Are the Differences As Business Owners?

Men Are From Mars and Women Are From Venus – What Are the Differences As Business Owners?

We all probably remember the best selling book, Men are from Mars and Women are from Venus. It hit the book shelves in 1992 and has since exploded into one of the most well known resources dealing with relationships and communication between men and women. Dr. John Gray has built a media empire based on the idea that men and women are different. We perceive things differently, see things differently, communicate differently and in fact, in most every area of life there are differences in the way men and women behave.

This is also true in owning and managing businesses. I have the pleasure of working with very talented men and women business owners in my coaching practice. I have come to recognize some common characteristics of men and women owners that I would like to speak about. Theses will be generalities because clearly not all men or women will exhibit all of these traits.

Men tend to be more focused on results and the bottom line. There is usually a lot less drama and personality conflicts in offices and companies run by men. Loyalty is measured by how hard a person works, the number of hours they clock and willingness to do extra work. For the most part, men owners and managers do not openly communicate their appreciation for these very qualities that they value. They believe that their employees will just know they are doing a good job if they keep their jobs and get periodic raises. This …

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Women Business Leaders: How to Attract and Retain the Best Women in Leadership

Women Business Leaders: How to Attract and Retain the Best Women in Leadership

Leaders take notice: a crisis is brewing.

Today, U.S. businesses are losing some of their very best talent – educated, experienced women – in what may be the largest talent drain ever.

Why? The balance of work and family, for many, is exacting too high a price.

Statistics indicate a disturbing trend that those abandoning their careers are largely high-achieving women, whose jobs tend to demand longer hours, who carry more responsibility and whose absence arguably makes the greatest impact on business. Whether they are pushed away by an unforgiving work environment or pulled away by the lure of family life, one thing is clear: for high-achieving women, life balance is becoming an increasing impossibility.

Business women play a special role in addressing this issue. Because we understand the issue so intimately – whether directly through our own experiences or indirectly through the women around us-we can consciously make an effort to pave the way for a healthier approach to success that honors career and quality of life. The well-being of businesses and the women within them are at stake.

What can be done to retain talented women? Many prominent solutions include company wide policy changes, such as paid parenting leave, flexible workdays, job sharing, and telecommuting. Unfortunately, many such choices are stigmatized.

While companies begin to examine their response to the issue, business women and men can take action personally – not by perpetuating all-or-nothing choices, but by using the talents that have made them successful in business to …

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