Choosing NOT to Do Business Like a Man

If I had a dollar for every time I've been told to "do business more like a man" throughout my career, I think I would have a couple hundred bucks! Especially in the past week, I think I'd have enough to at pay for lunch at least one day. WTF is up with people telling women that they need to do business more like a man?? I mean, what's wrong these days with actually doing business like a woman?

First of all, I am a woman and can't help that fact. Although I think it would be easier to be a man, we as women have the ability to experience things that they never will. Which I actually think makes us mentally stronger at times. Second of all, I've done business "Like a man" in the past, and been pegged as "a bitch" so either way I can't win. Ok, ok so I know that I'm generalizing a bit on this one - but that's what happens in the real business world. I know that this is a controversial topic and some people may be offended, but this is just my opinion.

Well, maybe now is the time for men to do business more like us women - we actually listen (ok- most of the time), we feel emotions about things (yes, sometimes TOO much, but that's ok), and often have a better gauge on how certain things will effect people. We also have a tendency to remember that relationships in business are equally as important as the business itself. I've tried to not bring emotion into the picture, but I've found it has lead to becoming numb to things - which is actually a scary thing that can often lead to recklessness. I've also tried to "think like a man" - once again which is hard for me to do because I'm NOT one! I can only think like me, be me and approach business the way I know in my heart is right. Maybe my approach isn't your approach, but if it was, wouldn't that make me a robot??

Now believe me, I'm not sexist at all. But regardless of what anyone says, it's still a man's world out there - or at least they are the ones mostly running the show. It's a known fact that they generally get paid more than women. They and are seen as "powerful" for some of the awful things they do politically or the way they act and can get away with more - especially fist pounding. Frankly, I am tired of it.

I'm really looking forward to one day working for someone who is successful in the workplace for doing business "like a woman." Maybe one day, I hope that I can be that person...but who knows since for the time being it's all men who are in charge of my fate....