I shared my recent blog post on Top 10 Time Management Tips for Women with my nearly 3,300 LinkedIn followers and the response was overwhelmingly positive.
But not universally so.
A few men said the tips were equally applicable to men and women, and, of course, they are right. One man said women should be insulted that they were being singled out. Another went so far as to say that putting people into categories by sex, race, religion and so forth was not only unnecessary but destructive (my words, but you get the gist). Because we’re all the same.
No kidding?
Tell that to the 16-to 19-year-old Hispanic men who have a 17.7% unemployment rate, compared to 4.6% of white men in the same age group. Or African-American women who make 36% less than white men. Or the 23 million veterans who were reported homeless in 2009.
Every demographic – age, race, sex, sexual orientation and so on – has its own unique challenges, and to deny that is to just stick your head in the sand.
Other that the sex-organ bits, yes, there are differences between men and women. In general terms:
- Women tend to focus on how a problem is solved – taking a collaborative approach and using it to strengthen relationships – while men jump to the end, focusing on the result instead of the process.
- Women think differently than men. They are more intuitive, looking at problems as a bunch of interrelated parts. Men are more linear, seeing and taking sequential steps to in their problem-solving.
- When it comes to memory, women are more likely to attach them to emotions. Men’s memories are generally associated with tasks or activities.
- Because of the way their brains are formed in the womb, women typically do a better job of communicating and men are better with spacial skills, according to WebMD.
I think most people are well aware of the social and economic differences between men and women, to wit:
- The Equal Rights Amendment to the U.S. Constitution is still a pipe dream. The fact that it was first introduced in 1923 (yes, you read that correctly) and three states of the required 38 have yet to ratify it tells you something. For those of you who are unfamiliar, this radical amendment states: “Equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any state on account of sex.” Talk about revolutionary!
- On average in the United States, women make 19% less money than men who have the same education and experience.
- Women are much less likely to apply for jobs or seek promotions than men for several reasons: (1) They feel they must have 100% of the skills required to do the job, whereas men figure (correctly), “Hey, I’ll learn as I go.” (2) They believe that if they just work hard and keep plugging away, they’ll be magically lifted from the herd and given the dream job they’ve always wanted. (3) “Good girls” don’t brag about themselves.
- Women still do the majority of housework and cooking.
- They are twice as likely as men to care for elderly parents – even if those parents are in-laws.
When I get overwrought thinking about these things, I look at women In other countries, where they are not are not allowed to own property. They are not allowed to drive. They are not allowed to go to school. They cannot talk to men or leave the house without a male family member. They are not even allowed to show their faces, let alone ankles, for fear of horrible physical reprisals. And that makes me feel equally part blessed and stressed – blessed for what I have, and stressed that other women in the world are facing much more serious issues than I do.
So let’s make a deal: Don’t tell me it’s insulting to focus on the needs of women and the issues they face. Don’t tell me everyone is equal.
And in exchange, I won’t tell you to get your head out of your butt.