Mary Ovenstone
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description
This is a Psychology Festival of Learning presentation on optimizing differing male and female decision making styles in the workplace
Transcript of Mary Ovenstone
WelcomeTo view material from this talk visit
www.sacap.edu.za/eventsLike our Facebook Page
Follow us on Twitter @SACAP #psychologyfest
Male and Female Decision-making in Personal and Professional Lives
By Mary Ovenstone, MPhil in Management Coaching
For SACAP Festival of LearningSeptember 2014
The Differences between
Female and Male Neurobiology
Male and Female Decision MakingSACAP Festival of Learning- September 2014
Mona DeKoven Fishbane, PhDInterpersonal neurobiology researcher and psychologistfrom Loving with the Brain in Mind, 2013
o “Consensus in the literature is that sex differences and gendered behavior arise from a complex interaction of genetics, hormones, and socialization”
o Nature AND nurture
Male and Female Decision MakingSACAP Festival of Learning- September 2014
Sex Differences in the Structural Connectome of the Human Brain, PNAS Dec 2013
Large and definitive study (U of Pennsylvania Medical School and Psychology and Psychiatry School)
A study combining brain scanning, divergent affects of hormones at puberty, and underpinned by a behavioural and cognitive study with the same cohort
Male and Female Decision MakingSACAP Festival of Learning- September 2014
Male brain: o Connects within each
hemisphere, front to back,o Facilitates connectivity
between perception and coordinated action
o Outperforms women in spatial processing and motor and sensorimotor speed.
o More white matter
Female brain: o Connects between
hemispheres, greater overall cortical connectivity,
o Facilitates communication between analytical and intuitive processing modes,
o Out perform males in attention, word and face memory and social cognition tests.
o More gray matter
Male and Female Decision MakingSACAP Festival of Learning- September 2014
Male and Female Decision-making
Male and Female Decision MakingSACAP Festival of Learning- September 2014
Female Decision-makingo Women tend to initially ‘bundle’ thoughts and
feelings and may communicate too much too soon if not self-disciplined.
o They can be slower but more thorough in considering all the factors impacting a decision. Take fewer risks.
o Studies show that companies with women on ExCos or Boards make higher profits.
o If rushed or intimidated they may back down and give in, but harbor resentment.
Male and Female Decision MakingSACAP Festival of Learning- September 2014
Male and Female Decision MakingSACAP Festival of Learning- September 2014
When men and women think and make decisions together
Women should do preliminary thinking with a coach, alone or with other women who have the time and attention to expand the focus to include all available internal and external info.o They should work to separate out the feelings and
analyze their relevance to the overall decision o Are these personal feelings, gut feelings, intuition,
accurate mirroring of other’s feelings?o Boil it down to one statement: “This is what I feel
about this topic.”
Male and Female Decision MakingSACAP Festival of Learning- September 2014
o Then describe thinking about the topic o Separate assumptions from observable facts
Test assumptions for accuracy o Analyze and prioritize the factso Come up with the statement:
“This is what I think about the topic (and why); this is what I feel about it (and why), and this is what I suggest we consider doing about it.”
o Present the statement at the meeting o Then be open to negotiation (don’t take
reactions personally!).
Male and Female Decision MakingSACAP Festival of Learning- September 2014
Male and Female Decision MakingSACAP Festival of Learning- September 2014
Male decision-makingo Men tend to make quick, logical decisions based on
available information and abstract ideas, or hesitate to make any decision in collaborative environments, particularly when considering feelings and ‘people-information’.
o Their competitiveness and territoriality can interfere with executive decision-making. Zero/sum vs. win/win solutions.
Male and Female Decision MakingSACAP Festival of Learning- September 2014
Male and Female Decision MakingSACAP Festival of Learning- September 2014
When men and women think and make decisions together
Male and Female Decision MakingSACAP Festival of Learning- September 2014
Men should slow down their rush to solve the issue as a problem o In a quiet environment, men should
check in with their bodies. Ask yourself, how do I feel in my gut about this decision?
o Does this topic make me feel stressed? Worried about my position?
o What ‘feeling’ information am I getting from the others around me?
Why do I/ they feel this way?
o What do I think about this topic? Am I making assumptions? If so, are they always true, sometimes true or not true?
o Men ask yourselves if you have tested the available data with the experts in allied fields?
o Have I thought about the long-term implications of each alternative decision—will they still hold true in 7 years, in the distant future?
o How do each align with my values, the values of the company?
o Bring formulated thoughts and feelings to the process and be open to others opinions.
Male and Female Decision MakingSACAP Festival of Learning- September 2014
Male and Female Thinking
Male and Female Decision MakingSACAP Festival of Learning- September 2014
Images of business structure generated by:
Male thinking Female thinking
© Mary Ovenstone, Cape Town 2014Male and Female Decision MakingSACAP Festival of Learning- September 2014
Career Decisions
Male and Female Decision MakingSACAP Festival of Learning- September 2014 © Mary Ovenstone, Cape Town 2014
The Jungle Gym: Sheryl Sandberg’s image of a woman’s career path
Business school images of a career path
© Mary Ovenstone, Cape Town 2014Male and Female Decision MakingSACAP Festival of Learning- September 2014
Using David Rock’s SCARF Model in Corporate Decision-making
Male and Female Decision MakingSACAP Festival of Learning- September 2014 © Mary Ovenstone, Cape Town 2014
Approach/ Avoidance: The overarching principal of brain function is to seek reward and avoid pain. The avoidance of pain is stronger, easier to arouse and the effects last longer.
Many South African bosses use the carrot and stick approach o Evokes fear, anger and stress in employees o Reduces brain functiono Decreases productivityo Increases sick days o Assures low mental performanceo Lowers the quality of decision-making
NOTE: See more in David Rock’s book.
© Mary Ovenstone, Cape Town 2014Male and Female Decision MakingSACAP Festival of Learning- September 2014
The SCARF Model, available online
Leadership based on considering 5 primary domains of the social brain:o Statuso Certaintyo Autonomyo Relatednesso Fairness
Male and Female Decision MakingSACAP Festival of Learning- September 2014 © Mary Ovenstone, Cape Town 2014
Status
Your brain is constantly monitoring your status in any group. It literally assigns you a number in that group.
When you feel like you’re going up in status you start to feel some of the ‘toward’ emotions or a ‘reward’ response.
Male and Female Decision MakingSACAP Festival of Learning- September 2014 © Mary Ovenstone, Cape Town 2014
Certainty
We feel safe when we can predict outcomes.
Any time we experience some uncertainty we get a limbic system ‘threat’ response. In other words, we experience more of the ‘away’ emotions.
Male and Female Decision MakingSACAP Festival of Learning- September 2014 © Mary Ovenstone, Cape Town 2014
Autonomy
When an individual feels there is some choice in a situation they’re more likely to experience ‘toward’ emotions or a ‘reward’ response.
© Mary Ovenstone, Cape Town 2014Male and Female Decision MakingSACAP Festival of Learning- September 2014
Relatedness
When you connect with people you like or even just recognize, you experience an injection of the ‘feel good’ hormones like dopamine, serotonin and oxytocin, and a decrease in the stress hormone cortisol. In other words, you experience more ‘toward’ feelings in your brain/body.
Male and Female Decision MakingSACAP Festival of Learning- September 2014 © Mary Ovenstone, Cape Town 2014
Fairness
Everyone likes to feel they have been dealt with in a fair manner. For example, when we feel we have been treated unfairly in a pay review we experience ‘away’ emotions, a threat response.
© Mary Ovenstone, Cape Town 2014Male and Female Decision MakingSACAP Festival of Learning- September 2014
How might men and women experience the SCARF brain responses differently?
What should be considered in making decisions that effect others?
Male and Female Decision MakingSACAP Festival of Learning- September 2014 © Mary Ovenstone, Cape Town 2014
Male and Female Decision-making in Personal Lives
Male and Female Decision MakingSACAP Festival of Learning- September 2014 © Mary Ovenstone, Cape Town 2014
Relationship Skills
o Weekly dates—NO decision-making
o Weekly meetings for decision-making and resolving feelings
o Active listening
o ‘I messages’
Male and Female Decision MakingSACAP Festival of Learning- September 2014 © Mary Ovenstone, Cape Town 2014
Mary OvenstoneMPhil in Management Coaching
Executive and Leadership Coach
Counselor for Individuals and Couples
Developer of Brain Exchange Solutions Courses
Tel: 021 761 8312
Cell: 082 730 0317
Email: [email protected]
Web: www.brainexchangesolutions.com
www.maryovenstone.com
Thank youTo view material from this talk visit
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#psychologyfest
