Strategy #3: Welcome disagreement:
Diversity of thought is important. If everyone is thinking alike, then someone is not thinking. The best ideas are put through the fire, evaluated, and dissected. My philosophy is that the best ideas, suggestions, and strategies should earn the right to rule. That means disagreement is inevitable. Getting the best result is never easy. Innovative employers, hire independent minds, not bodies. In welcoming disagreement, make sure you have a solution oriented opinion, but do not be too quick to shy away from going against the grain. In the long run, people will respect you.
What challenges have you faced in the workplace in communicating with the opposite sex? Do you think one gender has an advantage over the other?
For more information on gender differences in communication, pick up a copy of Marshawn’s best-selling book S.K.I.R.T.S in the Boardroom: A Woman’s Survival Guide to Success in Business and Life.