Learn how to work better with women
By Sandra Beckwith

Men can minimize the gender gap in the workplace by modifying their behavior when working with women:

• Understand that many women value work relationships. To foster loyalty among female colleagues, connect with them by sharing information about your interests outside of work.
• Realize that not all women understand the language of sports and war. Use fewer of these metaphors to make sure your point isn’t missed.
• Take advantage of women’s tendency toward consensus-building. Learn all possible solutions to a problem or discover the creativity in each team member. You never know where the best idea will come from if you don’t hear all of them.
• Encourage women to speak up. Ask for their contributions in meetings. Make sure they get full credit for their contributions to increase participation.
• Recognize, appreciate and point out the strengths the other gender brings to the situation. One way isn’t better than another - it’s just different.
• Realize that asking questions helps many women do their jobs better. While some men view questioning as an indication that a person doesn’t have the necessary information, women view it as a useful tool for gathering facts needed to do their jobs properly.