There have been many influential people in my life, both men and women, who have helped steer me in the right direction and helped me learn true business savvy. It’s funny though, how differently men and women think and how differently they carry out the same decision.
The book Men are from Mars and Women are from Venus by John Gray is all about the differences between the sexes. It doesn’t just happen at home, but in business as well. So today, I thought I would share with you some of the things I have learned about leadership and about running a business from my male friends and business associates:
BE CONFIDENT
It seems to me that most men I know are truly confident in themselves, whether they have the qualifications or not for a potential job opportunity or whether they have the best product or service in the market. Women tend to doubt themselves. If you’re good at what you do, then not only show it, but flaunt it too.
MAKE A DECISION
As a woman, I can tell you first hand that we tend to research, research some more, say we have a decision, think about that decision, think about it again, then finally make a choice. Men tend to complete their due diligence and go for it. We (women) should stop agonizing over decisions once we’ve made them, and stick with the decision we’ve made.
BE A LEADER / BUILD A TEAM
Most men love sports, especially ones that are team based. Men like to feel like they’re part of something bigger. Building a team means they not only can take charge of the team and divide the work, but share in its wins and losses. Because women are good multi-taskers, most of us tend to take on tasks, instead of asking for help or building a team. If you’re trying to build a business, consider hiring people to help you instead of feeling overwhelmed. Be a leader to your very own team.
DON’T BE AFRAID TO WALK AWAY
Clients come and go, but so many of us (women) are afraid to lose a client, that we would never consider dumping a client who is draining us. Men walk away all the time and don’t think twice about it.
KNOW YOUR BOOKS
I know I told you to build a team. That could mean hiring a bookkeeper or accountant to help you with your books. That doesn’t mean you should be hands off. You should know how much money is coming into your business and where you are spending it. If you have doubts about how your bookkeeper or accountant is keeping track of your profits and losses, then e-mail me or anyone on the DM Accounting team with questions or give us a call.
Men and women truly do think differently and can each learn from the other. What I learned from men about running a business has helped me tremendously, but the thoroughness and passion for life the women in my life have passed on to me, are qualities I could never live without. So thank you to all the wonderful women and men in my life for impacting my life and business!
