It’s been a while since I’ve been in the workplace full-time. But oh, how I wish I’d had this book when I worked with a team of Army National Guard soldiers every day.
Those who follow my column know that I love to write about the differences between men and women. Now that I have three boys, I see how many of these differences are hard-wired and practically evident from birth. Not understanding them can cause stress at home, but just as much—if not more—stress in the workplace. In The Male Factor, author Shaunti Feldhahn explains why men and women working together are often at such odds and how to overcome these challenges.
Perhaps it’s because I am at home most of the time now with four males—and I homeschool two of them—I couldn’t help applying what I read to situations I encounter with my husband and my kids. All women can benefit from remembering three little points from the chapter entitled “The Little Things That Drive Men Crazy”:
1. Get to the point.
2. Don’t overreact.
3. Let it go.
You’ll have to read the book to get the details behind each point, but I found myself nodding and laughing in agreement as I read about the ways women can drive men crazy without even trying. This book is a great resource for men and women alike—when I read an excerpt to my husband, his interest was sparked and now he wants to read it, too! 🙂 Which is fine, because I think it works both ways. Perhaps he’ll gain a little insight into the female psyche and better understand that we’re meant to complement each other, not collide!
More from the publisher:
Many talented women today risk undermining their careers without realizing it, simply because they don’t understand how they are perceived by their male colleagues and customers.
In What Men really Think, best-selling author Shaunti Feldhahn reveals the inner reality behind men’s views — the unspoken expectations that no man would dare to publicly acknowledge, and no woman would learn from an HR department. These revelations include:
• Men’s unwritten ‘rules’ of the workplace
• How men perceive workplace emotion
• What common situations with female colleagues most frustrate men– and why
• Why revealing clothing can sabotage a woman’s effectiveness
• Why some men think flextime is fine, but equal compensation for it is not
What Men Really Think equips women with the information they need to make informed decisions and compete on a level playing field.
Author Bio:
Shaunti Feldhahn is a nationally syndicated columnist and the bestselling author of For Women Only: What You Need to Know About the Inner Lives of Men and For Men Only, which together sold one million copies. She holds a Master in Public Policy from Harvard, worked on Wall Street and now lives in Atlanta, Georgia.