Lack of Confidence

According to Cheryl Stein, a Business Coach for Monster.ca, female managers do not have the confidence that male managers have.  In a study done by N. Scott Taylor, out of the University of New Mexico, using Multi Source Feedback, found that female managers rated themselves equally to male managers.  However, when they were asked to predict how others would rate them, they predicted a much lower rating than what the actually ratings were.  Whereas men predicted how others would rate them more accurately.  This shows that even though women are confident in their work, they are not confident in how others perceive them.

We still have a long way to go, but we can make it!!!!

 One of the biggest differences between the genders in the workplace is that women need constant approval and feedback, while men do not need the external validation.  Men don't like feedback, and don't like giving it in turn.  They don't like being criticized, and feel that women who need feedback, are "needy" and "high maintenance".  This, in turn, makes women feel as though the men withhold positive feedback in order to avoid giving women the good projects, and/or promotions.  This common misunderstanding is behind women's perception on how they are viewed in the workplace.

She suggests a couple of different solutions; gender awareness training, mentoring, and coaching.  Organizations can benefit from consulting firms that specialize in training on how to communicated with each other to get optimal productivity.  They can also benefit from implementing a mentoring program wherein successful women can mentor and champion younger women and inspire them to achieve their goals.  On coaching, she says "Establishing a coaching program where women work on feeling the intrinsic value of their work will help them get over the need for external approval. Alternately, using coaches to help the men in your organization understand how to give women the feedback that they need to excel will create winning conditions for everyone"

 References

Stein, Cheryl (2013). "Women's Style of Workplace Communication".  Retrieved from:  http://hiring.monster.ca/hr/hr-best-practices/workforce-management/hr-management-skills/womens-style-of-workplace-communication-canada.aspx