Battle of the Sexes in the Boardroom

     Men and women bring very different skills to the leadership table.

  This isn't news, what is news is that women's leadership skills are becoming more appreciated. 

  Joanna Barsh, co-author of Centered Leadership, was the speaker at the latest Riker-Danzig Women in Leadership reception at the Westin Governor Morris Hotel in Morristown.

  Barsh pointed out two of the qualities women bring to leadership are a learning mindset and more positive than negative energy.

  She isn't saying men are less interested in education. Barsh means women tend to be brought up to be trainers, to be the ones to answer questions. Sure dads are expected to teach their kids to ride a bike or toss a football and they are more likely today to help with homework, but moms tend to be the "answer" parent. 

  In addition, women have had to work harder to climb the ladders of their chosen professions, so they may be a little more open to opportunities for education, if they can arrange it. 

  Women are also seen as having more positive than negative energy. That may be open for debate, but perception often equals reality. Whatever, it is a different energy. 

  I'm not going to debate nature vs. nurture here. The fact remains when a female executive enters a room, a different vibe enters with her. 

  Women learn to move a certain way when they are around their peers and differently when they are around superiors or subordinates. A few years on a job reinforces those mannerisms.

  Barsh said the fact women are perceived as able to face a difficult situation without going into attack mode works in their favor.

  She reminded the millennials in the audience they know how to use their voice so they can invest in relationships. They understand where energy comes from and where it goes.

  She advised all of her audience to start with their strengths. To be a sponsor ever more than a mentor. To be a good sponsor (or mentor) you have to first be a good listener and still be able to allow people to solve their own problems. 

  Women who gain some sort of leadership need to speak up, to pay it forward. And that is as energizing to the mentor as to the mentee. 

  Another advantage women executives may have is they can see the need to take a break and recover their energy while many men just work until they drop. 

  There were some men in the audience for Barsh's talk. Perhaps they heard that last part.