Welcome again to the Relationship Series. In the last issue, I had discussed some of the differences between men and women concerning how we communicate. Also, studies suggest that we may think differently as well.
Men think Compartmentally and Women think Globally.
Men and women may have differing frameworks for how they view the world. Men and women are equally intelligent, but the genders may have differing cognitive paradigms for how the world works for them.
In my seminars, I show how men tend to think in a linear and compartmental fashion, separating cognitive events as if each area of their life was like opening and closing a file-drawer. Conversely, women might tend to think in a more global and networking fashion. Where men separate-things-out, women tend to connect-things-up. Both systems work great, but put us together on the same team or in the same house and the mystery starts.
Women site in my seminars, that men are not often multi-task oriented. Could this be a reflection of compartmental vs. global thinking? I usually ask the women in my audiences how the men in their lives watch television. Invariably someone will say: "With the remote!" I ask them what else the men are doing while they are watching --"Nothing" is the reply. With tongue-in-cheek, I point out that when a man is watching T.V. -- he WATCHES T.V. -- he becomes one with the T.V. She asks him to watch the kids, he says, "I can't watch the kids, I'm watching T.V."
I will then ask the women how they watch television, the responses are always the same: "Work on a project, talk on the phone, read a book, do the taxes." They are multi-tasking. Of course all of these differences are averages, not absolutes -- there certainly are compartmental-women and global-men.
Compartmental vs. global thinking impacts how men and women solve problems, resolve conflict, and make decisions. Both men and women will most likely reach the same conclusions, but they may get there through different avenues. These differences play themselves out every day in corporate America and in our own personal relationships.
Presently, I have interacted with hundreds of professional women on this subject. One of their major observations is that the men they work with "close the door" on conflict prematurely.
For example, Jack and Sally may have had a conflict in the office on Friday afternoon. The weekend comes and goes, and it is now Monday morning. Sally would like to re-
visit the unresolved issue from last Friday and she approaches him on the topic. Jack responds, "What conflict? -- or, Why are you bringing this up again, it was last week?"
This differing style of resolution can be examined in light of compartmental vs. global thinking patterns. For him, he has closed the cognitive file drawer on the conflict from last week, and he has separated last week's issue from this week's work. For her, there is a connection between the fight from last week and the working relationship of this week. Thus, she is merely doing a reality check; her approach is, "we fought last week, are we okay to move on and work together this week?"
Which way is better, compartmental thinking or global thinking? Actually it is not the right question to ask. In fact, when one studies the synergy of team dynamics, it is apparent that both approaches are needed. It is not a question of which one is better; it is a question of how we can integrate these differences for increased performance and productivity in our working relationships.
Studies have been conducted to research the impact of diverse points of view on team performance. The conclusions have been that teams which are diverse in nature can be 30% to 50% more innovative and effective than teams which are not.
Who solves problems better, a group of men or a group of women? The answer is clear, a mixed group can increase their performance synergistically.
For more information:
Psychologist and Humorist, Bruce Christopher
www.bcseminars.com
