Becoming Gender Intelligent and an Effective Leader

    

    I believe that to start the vision for leadership, should begin with becoming gender intelligent. While women and men are different, it is still very important to appreciate the natural differences between us. We can also use these differences to our advantage. When we learn how to respect the other gender and understand them, our ideas and communication will improve so much, which will also lead to productivity. I used to believe that it was all a man’s fault for our current environment, but I quickly learned that is not true. It is all of our problems and we both need to start learning how we communicate and think differently. I remember someone mentioned that Blue, from Blue’s Clues, was a girl one time. I was so shocked and immediately told everyone after, and they thought she was a boy as well. Once I started to think about it more, I realized everyone around me (including me), had been molded by the media and our parents to have these certain stereotypes in our heads.

     Although the male brain is 10 percent larger than the female brain, it does not impact intelligence. Despite the size difference, men’s and women’s brains are more alike than they are different. One area in which they do differ is the inferior parietal lobule, which tends to be larger in men. This part of the brain is linked with mathematical problems, estimating time, and judging speed. Another area that was previously debated was the hippocampus, which is associated with memory, but recent studies have found no differences in the hippocampus between genders. Women are more prone to experience depression and post-traumatic stress disorder. Men are more likely to suffer from schizophrenia, dyslexia, and autism, and to become alcoholic or drug-dependent. These are proposed to result from their distinctive wiring patterns. Women have more connections going left and right across the two halves of the brain. This could give them an advantage in pulling together information from different sources and drawing conclusions. The left half of the brain handles logical thinking, and the right is associated with intuition. Men's brains have more connections from front to back, which may heighten their perception. They may be more attuned to what's going on around them so they can take action. Men have stronger connections between brain areas for motor and spatial skills. That means males tend to do a better job at tasks that need hand-eye coordination and understanding where objects are in space, such as throwing a ball or hammering a nail.

    Women usually choose a transformational approach. Just like men, women in leadership positions aim to accomplish the necessary goals, however, the transformational approach involves more attention being paid to how these goals are achieved. Female leaders are interested in transforming their teams and making them more productive, focusing on effective ways of motivation and individual development. Female leaders are more personally engaged in their work, they provide more support and encouragement, putting teamwork and effective communication first. Men usually stick to a transactional approach. They want to achieve certain goals and see the performance of their team as a sequence of independent transactions, each one of which must be either disciplined or rewarded. Male leaders usually don’t explain their decisions, expecting their employees to focus on their specific duties. These leaders are usually not engaged with their teams, considering themselves dominant figures and staying apart from others. This approach appeals to the self-interest of employees, however, it also means that they must be responsible for failures and shouldn’t expect to get any help from their leader unless the problem is too difficult so that no one else can solve it.

    Gender Intelligence is about men and women working and winning together. In order to become gender intelligent, it is important for us to recognize each gender's different strengths and weaknesses. There are obviously natural differences between both genders, but it is important that we are aware of how we handle situations and the communication we have. Both genders need to understand where the other is coming from, and they need to be able to walk a mile in each other's shoes. The only way to do that is by understanding how we are different. Gender-intelligent leaders are lifelong learners and encourage that in others at every level. When they don’t know or understand something, they ask. They seek explanations from men and women, demonstrating humility and curiosity. To build gender-intelligent leadership skills, you begin by being more aware of what influences you on a daily basis, and how we are all complicit, to varying degrees, of reinforcing negative stereotypes.

    At the end of the day, you can not be a good and effective leader if you are not a good communicator. Becoming a leader who can practice gender-intelligent communication will make you even more successful and set apart from your counterparts. This means having a comprehensive understanding of how the other gender communicates and how you can learn to better and more effectively communicate with the other gender. As a leader, it also means learning how to leverage both genders' communication skills to further our objectives and goals at work. So what should you do now with all of this information? The first, thing is to be aware. Be aware of the stereotypes you may have. Also, be aware of the media and the stereotypes it portrays. The second thing is to address the situation. When you hear someone stereotyping the other gender, speak up about it. It's all of our job to work toward gender equality. The third thing is to understand. Understand that there are differences, and it's important to embrace and appreciate each other's strengths. It’s vital that we as growing leaders learn to become gender intelligent and understand each other’s differences. Once we achieve being gender intelligent then both genders can grow as a team and become more efficient in team leading. I always used to question how can men and women both grow together - and this is how.