Does Being Male or Female Matter When You're Getting Feedback At Work?

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You're being too emotional!  You're reactive!  Is it that time of the month?  You're being to aggressive!  Is everything ok, your facial expression shows something different?  Do any of these statements sound familiar?

Often when you look at the gender dynamics at work you notice trails of differences in how individuals may approach a female vs how an individual may approach a male.

Getting individuals to work together in the work place can sometimes become frustrating and may lead to team dysfunction, if the dynamics are not fully understood.  Statistics indicate that ethnicity, gender, age and social/cultural upbringing often spill into the workplace in both a positive and negative manner. 

Take for instance an individual who comes from a culture where males make the final decisions, women have a distinct role in the family and it is felt a woman's place is with other women.  When that individual enters an environment where there are no distinct lines between male & female and a woman's voice is as equal as a male's; you are sure to see some sparks when the genders interact.  Take this a full step further, where some societal norms have differing opinions when it comes to the LGBT community and their place in society, even more differing perspectives may emerge.

There are many aspects that assist in defining the character of an individual.  We at Shades of Influence look forward to exploring these characteristics and how they influence the interactions within the workplace.  Be sure to contribute to this narrative by joining us at Cocktails and Conversations on Dec 1st.  Click here to purchase your tickets