Is This Bias or Hatred? “Where there is hatred, let me sow love”
Could we find more compassion in dealing with immigrants — and with each other?
Our Unconscious Minds and Gender Bias
Unconscious gender bias is the root cause of business’ slow progress in capturing the business benefits of gender diversity. Having unconscious bias is simply human as Shankar Vedantam shows in his book “The Hidden Brain.” It is hard to change ways we aren’t even aware we have been wired, taught or acculturated to think. Our approach starts with helping people understand and appreciate both masculine and feminine strengths – in men and women.
Holiday Wishes and Thoughts from DifferenceWORKS
Happy holidays from DifferenceWORKS! In the news today is so much about division, hatred and violence – between whites and blacks, have’s and have-not’s, Republicans and Democrats, and people of different faiths or religious beliefs. Difference does work. Diversity and inclusion drive better decisions and better bottom lines. We need our differences. Wouldn’t it be nice to love them?
Women’s Voices: Are They Fully Heard?
In many parts of the world, women’s voices are suppressed. In our western culture, in particular in the U.S. corporate world, women’s voices are not “suppressed.” But they are often not fully heard. Why not? Let me suggest four challenges, with the hope that awareness can help us better hear women’s voices right here in the USA. The feminine style of speech sounds less confident. Women assert themselves only when they really know. Women get “talked over.” And women who do speak up face the “double bind.”
Women Inspiring Leadership
Rich and I delivered a well-received workshop at the third annual WILD Summit (Women Inspiring Leadership Development from the Women’s Council of the Leeds School of Business at CU). We framed as choice (the conference theme) the ability to value and leverage both masculine and feminine strengths. We demonstrated that being able to choose which is most effective in a particular situation is an important career skill. Appreciating both approaches makes one a better and more inclusive leader; the result is broader team engagement, leading to better results. We tackled the subject of how masculine-feminine differences run up against unconscious biases or mindsets, creating obstacles for women in business – and, therefore, gender diversity.
Do Men Still Need a “Guide” to Deal with Women at Work?
Joanne Lipman’s recent article in the WSJ provides a “guide” for men to women at work. She says that women get enough advice and provides some to men. Men should understand that women have a different way of speaking; they should not wait for women to raise their hands; they should not fear that a woman will cry and should give direct feedback. And they should recognize that women work hard for the credibility that comes automatically to them. Good advice!
Caroline on The Huffington Post
Caroline’s Book
