Want to be more gender-intelligent at work Start here.

As part of my consulting practice, I work with several global companies on their diversity, inclusion, and women’s leadership efforts. Im often asked by executives—men  and  women—how they can be more gender-intelligent at work.  Gender intelligence (GI) is about understanding, recognizing, and valuing the differences between men and women. And its about appreciating those differences as strengths, which are highly complementary. Gender intelligence is what I would call a gateway leadership skill. It is one of the skills, along with cross-cultural and cross-generational intelligence, that provides the foundation for effective global leadership and strategic influence. Gender intelligence (GI) is about understanding, recognizing, and valuing the differences between men and women. Like all skills, you need thoughtful, intelligent practice in order to become fluent. You can’t just take a seminar or read a book and call it a day. Developing gender-intelligent skillsets and practices makes all the difference in one’s career, especially as you progress through management and into leadership roles. Gender Intelligence 101 When you start to view the differences between men and women through the lens of strength, you can leverage them to your competitive advantage. Many people are aware of the concept of GI. Yet how to implement it on a daily basis, at the individual level, has remained elusive. Nevertheless, it is essential to get this right  if you want to build diversity and inclusion within your company. Step 1: Read reflect If you want to better understand the concept of GI, you need to start with the source and the pioneer who literally coined the phrase and wrote the books on strategic GI, Barbara Annis. Annis has strategically brought GI into companies in every industry. Her lessons learned as well as her exploration of our most common pitfalls and blind spots are invaluable. My favorite book of hers for those just starting to explore GI is Results at the Top: Using Gender Intelligence to Create Breakthrough Results. Another excellent and timely book, especially for men who want to engage with these issues, is Joanne Lipman’s That’s What She Said: What Men Need to Know (And Women Need to Tell Them) About Working Together. Lipman is a veteran journalist and editor who packs a ton of relevant research and insights into an entertaining and practical read. Both books are incredible ways to launch and build a broader conversation on how we can all be more gender-intelligent at work. I like working with books like these first because it allows people time to read, absorb, and reflect on their own and then come together to discuss and deepen their understanding. Step 2: Practice If you want to become better at something, you need to practice. Oftentimes, when it comes to gender intelligence as well as cross-cultural intelligence, I see many companies overcomplicate things. So much so that employees rarely remember what they learned in their diversity training, and they have no clue how they are actually supposed to implement the guidance they have been given. The key is to focus on a few simple daily practices that can have a cumulative effect over time. Gender-intelligent leadership: A continual cycle of self-awareness improvement Gender-intelligent leaders, as I’ve written about in the past, do three things differently. They listen, learn, and lead through a gender-intelligent lens. Listen more, speak less Communication is one of the most common blindspots between men and women at work. Failures in communication often lead to misunderstandings, confusion, pre-judgment, people shutting down, disconnecting, and resentment. One way to counter this is to focus on active listening and lessening—as much as possible—the amount you interrupt your colleagues. I’ve written about this before, and its incredible to me how often we are blind our own behavior in day-to-day interactions at work. And when it comes to speaking over people—and speaking for lengthier amounts of time—men do this far more often than women. As The New York Times reported  last summer, Academic studies and countless anecdotes make it clear that being interrupted, talked over, shut down, or penalized for speaking out is nearly a universal experience for women when they are outnumbered by men. Further, as Forbes reported this past January, numerous studies â€Å"have shown that men interrupt women at work nearly 33% more and also speak more when women are in the room as a projection of their dominance and power.† Often, this is not intentional. But it is important to become aware of it and find new, positive ways to reduce this in meetings. Companies that do so have greater success in their engagement and retention efforts because people—men and women alike—finally feel listened to and heard. Often we are blind our own behavior in day-to-day interactions at work. Learn Gender-intelligent leaders learn differently and continually. They are the founders, board members, and C-suite leaders who actually come to the diversity and inclusion training and participate with their employees. They encourage and help lead new learning throughout the company, because they themselves are always learning, inquisitive, and open to new ideas. As leaders, they ask themselves and encourage their employees to ask, â€Å"Am I being gender-intelligent about this?† And they constantly look for ways to improve. Gender-intelligent leaders are lifelong learners and encourage that in others at every level. When they don’t know or understand something, they ask. They seek explanations from men and women, demonstrating humility and curiosity. They also consistently seek out constructive feedback, not just in how they interact at an interpersonal level, but also in what they put into writing—which is the bulk of business communication. One of the best tools that I’ve used and recommend for building GI on a practical level is Textio, which flags gender-biased language as you are typing. Lead Finally, gender-intelligent leaders lead differently. They lead with respect, humility, and by example—word and deed. To build gender-intelligent leadership skills, you begin by being more aware of what influences you on a daily basis, and how we are all complicit, to varying degrees, of reinforcing negative stereotypes. When we see or hear stereotypes, we should call them out and correct them. It is amazing to me, when you really start paying attention, how often these stereotypes come up in casual conversation. They may come up in emails, memos, or various other communications and, all too often,  we just let them go. Especially senior-level men and women. If you aren’t willing to call out and correct something when you read it or hear it then you have failed in that leadership moment. This not only applies to gender but also to the stereotypes perpetuated around race, ethnicity, age, socio-economic status, education, etc. There are ways of correcting negative stereotypes at work appropriately, without getting fired or provoking your coworkers. One that I’ve found particularly effective is to start with your own sphere of influence—i.e. the people who work for you or with you, and who know and respect you. Finding the right time and place to do this one-on-one, rather than in a large group setting, is usually best. However, there have been times when the stereotype is so egregious that Ive had to call it out and correct it on the spot, in front of everyone, knowing full well the potential consequences of my actions. I’d rather sleep well at night knowing I did the right thing than be silent and allow something so offensive to perpetuate. Finding strength in difference Regardless of how you do it, we all need to do more to correct stereotypes that are pervasive and corrosive. And we also need to do more to underscore the unique strengths of every individual and their contributions—men and women alike. As Barbara Annis famously likes to say, â€Å"Men and women are different. Get over it.† These differences between men and women—which are first informed by nature and then influenced by our individual experiences—are a good thing. We complement one another, especially when we understand and appreciate those differences on a gender-intelligent level. There is much work still to be done on the gender intelligence within companies and throughout leadership ranks. This work starts with each of us, every day, in the big and small ways we interact with one another. It starts with gender intelligence being an imperative that senior leadership embraces and demonstrates in all that they do and say. It also starts with every employee at every level—not just new hires, HR, Women’s Leadership club members, designated high potentials, or those who are leading diversity and inclusion initiatives. Everyone can be more gender intelligent if we have the courage to listen, learn, and lead differently each and every day. So let’s get over it and on with it already. Everyone can be more gender intelligent if we have the courage to listen, learn, and lead differently. Want to further develop your skills as a gender-intelligent leader? Download a brochure  to find out how diversity and leadership development are built into degree studies at Hult International Business School. If youre a current Hult student or alum, you can join Cari in her  Womens Leadership Gender Intelligence elective course at Hult San Francisco on June 8-11, 2018. Check mycourses.hult.edu for more information and to register, or contact Cari directly: CrGtrcthte Make the most of what your career has to offer with a Masters in International Business from Hult. To learn more, take a look at our blog Top 10 questions to ask when looking at business schools, or give your employability a huge boost with an MBA in international business. Download a brochure or get in touch today to find out how Hult can help you to explore everything about the business world, the future, and yourself. Hult Rotation offers you a chance to study in a truly global way. Our rotation program allows you to study and be immersed in some of the finest cities in the world. 📠¸: @jasminmanzano . Hult Rotation offers you a chance to study in a truly global way. Our rotation program allows you to study and be immersed in some of the finest cities in the world. 📠¸: @jasminmanzano . Each year, Hult seeks to enroll a talented and ambitious incoming class from all over the world. We look for diverse students with a wide range of experiences, perspectives, and interests—students who will thrive in our unique educational atmosphere. Are you ready for a truly global experience? 📠¸: @iambrunadiniz . Each year, Hult seeks to enroll a talented and ambitious incoming class from all over the world. We look for diverse students with a wide range of experiences, perspectives, and interests—students who will thrive in our unique educational atmosphere. Are you ready for a truly global experience? 📠¸: @iambrunadiniz . We’re excited to start 2020 on a ranking high! Hult is proud to have been placed #28 in Poets Quants 2020 rankings for Best Undergraduate Business Schools in the US. Taking a huge leap of 32 places from our 2019 position, we’re also very happy to have secured top positions in key categories like: life-changing experience, practicality of the degree, and global immersion. . With five global campuses, a student body of over 130 nationalities, and a learn-by-doing approach—Hult offers a student experience like no other. . We’re excited to start 2020 on a ranking high! Hult is proud to have been placed #28 in Poets Quants 2020 rankings for Best Undergraduate Business Schools in the US. Taking a huge leap of 32 places from our 2019 position, we’re also very happy to have secured top positions in key categories like: life-changing experience, practicality of the degree, and global immersion. . With five global campuses, a student body of over 130 nationalities, and a learn-by-doing approach—Hult offers a student experience like no other. . â€Å"I’m from an engineering background and needed a whole new skill set for the industry I wanted to switch to. I learned a lot about myself and how I deal with being out of my comfort zone. I learned both soft and hard skills, from how to work in very diverse teams to key accounting metrics and strategy. I was surprised by how weak I was at certain tasks in English or how strong I actually was in other areas. Hult gave me opportunities to try new things and meet people from places I never thought I would have friends. . My internship experiences gave me the chance to broaden my view of different cultures and different companies. I had the opportunity to work and live with people whose values differed from people in my home country. I thought that this would be difficult, but it gave me the chance to reflect on my own values and assess if they were a result of my home country environment or if they were intrinsically mine. . Diederick ter Kulve (@diederick.terkulve) Netherlands Masters in International Business . â€Å"I’m from an engineering background and needed a whole new skill set for the industry I wanted to switch to. I learned a lot about myself and how I deal with being out of my comfort zone. I learned both soft and hard skills, from how to work in very diverse teams to key accounting metrics and strategy. I was surprised by how weak I was at certain tasks in English or how strong I actually was in other areas. Hult gave me opportunities to try new things and meet people from places I never thought I would have friends. . My internship experiences gave me the chance to broaden my view of different cultures and different companies. I had the opportunity to work and live with people whose values differed from people in my home country. I thought that this would be difficult, but it gave me the chance to reflect on my own values and assess if they were a result of my home country environment or if they were intrinsically mine. . Diederick ter Kulve (@diederick.terkulve) Netherlands Masters in International Business . Say a big hello to our Bachelor of Business Administration program cover star, Elisa Orus Plana âÅ" ¨ . â€Å"I’m excited for the future—especially that I cant predict whats going to happen. Maybe Ill end up in Mexico working for a trading company or maybe in Africa, developing my own business. Everything is possible, and the options are constantly changing. I love the idea that Im never going to be stuck doing the same job until the end of my life if I dont want it to be like this. . Hult really supports me and my ambitions and truly believes that we deserve to be considered as professionals as well as students. Here, I get to express not just my opinions but all elements of myself. From my creative side with the Fashion Society to my finance and business sides in Trading Club and the Management Consulting Club. We get a different type of learning here. Not just essential knowledge and theory, but practical skills and mindset. The school is always evolving. We’re encouraged to innovate and to always look for new ways of doing traditional things. We learn how to be more confident and become aware of how we can impact our environment. The school aims to help you become a better version of yourself and to stand out from the crowd.â€Å" . Elisa Orus Plana French Bachelor of Business Administration Class of 2021 Say a big hello to our Bachelor of Business Administration program cover star, Elisa Orus Plana âÅ" ¨ . â€Å"I’m excited for the future—especially that I cant predict whats going to happen. Maybe Ill end up in Mexico working for a trading company or maybe in Africa, developing my own business. Everything is possible, and the options are constantly changing. I love the idea that Im never going to be stuck doing the same job until the end of my life if I dont want it to be like this. . Hult really supports me and my ambitions and truly believes that we deserve to be considered as professionals as well as students. Here, I get to express not just my opinions but all elements of myself. From my creative side with the Fashion Society to my finance and business sides in Trading Club and the Management Consulting Club. We get a different type of learning here. Not just essential knowledge and theory, but practical skills and mindset. The school is always evolving. We’re encouraged to innovate and to always look for new ways of doing traditional things. We learn how to be more confident and become aware of how we can impact our environment. The school aims to help you become a better version of yourself and to stand out from the crowd.â€Å" . Elisa Orus Plana French Bachelor of Business Administration Class of 2021"> During the final days of 2019, you probably reflected on what you’ve accomplished this year—and even this decade—and what you’d like to achieve in 2020. Let us know in the comments below. During the final days of 2019, you probably reflected on what you’ve accomplished this year—and even this decade—and what you’d like to achieve in 2020. Let us know in the comments below. â€Å"The first time we did group work on the program, I went head-to-head with a colleague. It taught me a lot about how I see people, how people see me, and how conflict can be resolved in a kind and productive way. The best feedback you get, when delivered constructively, is the most critical because it really feeds into how you lead. I’ve completely reversed my leadership style—the result is so much richer and more powerful when you lead from behind and lead with strength. . Studying in tandem with working, whilst challenging, gave me the perfect platform to directly apply learning concepts into my business environment, the competitive landscape, and the real-estate industry as a whole. When I started the program, I was very happy in my corporate role. But my courage and aspirations grew to the point that I took on a whole new direction. Having my career coach, Joanna, as a sounding board allowed me to really be strategic and get to know myself. She coached me thro ugh all the interviews, the research, and the questions. It went in parallel with what I was doing academically and after six months everything just clicked. . I went into the EMBA knowing I had nothing to lose and I’ve come out with everything. Great strength, global friends, amazing learning, mentors from professors, a job I love, and the knowledge that I can set my mind to achieve anything and with the right support and resources I’ll get there.† . Kashani Wijetunga British, New Zealand Sri Lankan Associate Director Senior Strategy Consultant CBRE EMBA Class of 2019 . â€Å"The first time we did group work on the program, I went head-to-head with a colleague. It taught me a lot about how I see people, how people see me, and how conflict can be resolved in a kind and productive way. The best feedback you get, when delivered constructively, is the most critical because it really feeds into how you lead. I’ve completely reversed my leadership style—the result is so much richer and more powerful when you lead from behind and lead with strength. . Studying in tandem with working, whilst challenging, gave me the perfect platform to directly apply learning concepts into my business environment, the competitive landscape, and the real-estate industry as a whole. When I started the program, I was very happy in my corporate role. But my courage and aspirations grew to the point that I took on a whole new direction. Having my career coach, Joanna, as a sounding board allowed me to really be strategic and get to know myself. She coached me thro ugh all the interviews, the research, and the questions. It went in parallel with what I was doing academically and after six months everything just clicked. . I went into the EMBA knowing I had nothing to lose and I’ve come out with everything. Great strength, global friends, amazing learning, mentors from professors, a job I love, and the knowledge that I can set my mind to achieve anything and with the right support and resources I’ll get there.† . Kashani Wijetunga British, New Zealand Sri Lankan Associate Director Senior Strategy Consultant CBRE EMBA Class of 2019 . â€Å"It was now or never. I knew that I’d have likely stayed in my neighborhood for years to come if I didn’t take this opportunity. I’d not lived or studied outside of the U.S. before. So I left my job as a global strategist at an advertising agency and moved halfway around the world. I’ve come back a more culturally aware, well-versed person. I’ve realized that everything is a learning experience and an opportunity for growth. Ill definitely carry this mindset with me into the future. Technology and social media allow us to be different people in several places at once. Im excited to see how I can establish myself in whatever city Ill be lucky enough to call home and still maintain deep connections with people all over the world. I’m inspired by my classmates every day. Hearing some of their life stories and how getting this degree fits into their greater mission has been very humbling. My biggest challenge has been finding the ‘right’ path for me. There have been rooms Ive felt like I shouldnt be in, but now Im proud to feel as though I truly belong, wherever I am.† . Dwayne Logan, Jnr. American MBA Class of 2019 . â€Å"It was now or never. I knew that I’d have likely stayed in my neighborhood for years to come if I didn’t take this opportunity. I’d not lived or studied outside of the U.S. before. So I left my job as a global strategist at an advertising agency and moved halfway around the world. I’ve come back a more culturally aware, well-versed person. I’ve realized that everything is a learning experience and an opportunity for growth. Ill definitely carry this mindset with me into the future. Technology and social media allow us to be different people in several places at once. Im excited to see how I can establish myself in whatever city Ill be lucky enough to call home and still maintain deep connections with people all over the world. I’m inspired by my classmates every day. Hearing some of their life stories and how getting this degree fits into their greater mission has been very humbling. My biggest challenge has been finding the ‘right’ path for me. There have been rooms Ive felt like I shouldnt be in, but now Im proud to feel as though I truly belong, wherever I am.† . Dwayne Logan, Jnr. American MBA Class of 2019 . Happy New Year, Hultians! . Happy New Year, Hultians! .