Johan

How to Use Your Feminine and Masculine Energy While in Business

If we look at a list of the top CEOs in the world, almost all of them are men. If we look at the US, there has never been a woman president, though there have been female statesmen at the head of many other countries for many years. Why is this the case?

It isn’t simply an issue of gender; it is an issue of masculine versus feminine energy. Male energy is very action-oriented, driving hard and not permitting there to be more than one way to do things or look at things. Female energy on the other hand is very creative, flowing and allows for other approaches and points of view.

Both men and women possess masculine and feminine energies. It has nothing to do with sexual orientation and everything to do with action and communication. Yin and yang, Shakti and Shiva, female and male energies, have been seen as different for thousands of years, and the goal has been to balance them in order to maintain harmony.

There are a number of ways to use your feminine energy in the workplace without seeming too “weak” or “girlie”.

A Harmonious Workplace

“Business as usual” is the attitude in most companies; one that is driven into workers no matter what the reality of the situation and economy. Emotions are discouraged, action is encouraged, and any voice of seeming dissent is disregarded or gotten rid of through lay-offs.

But workers are human beings, not human doings. They will also get disgusted and leave a company where they feel they are not being valued as people. Women will often be those who work harder even under the toughest circumstances, and also set the tone. Women are more comfortable with strong emotions than men and can therefore express them in positive, problem-solving ways, not fly off the handle and bully others the way some male managers will.

A Creative Workspace

Feminine energy also leads to more creativity, something that is not usually encouraged in businesses where people just want to get the job done and go home. “I wonder what would happen if,” is not a dangerous phrase in a work environment that is feminine in nature, and that’s where true innovation and achievement can begin.

Nurturing Leadership and Mentorship

Feminine leadership tends to be more nurturing, and like a mentor-mentee relationship. Look at the number of women who go into education and work as teachers. Yet most administrative roles such as principal and dean go to men. Women value connection and foster personal growth in the workplace. They understand the value of team work, not the “lone wolf” approach.

Women can also transition from masculine to feminine energy more easily. It is great to get input about a new project, but it is also essential to meet the deadlines.

Women entrepreneurs should not make any apology for their feminine energy or try to “man up”. Instead, they need to embrace the differences and study the best times to switch from one energy type to the other, in order to run their business efficiently.

Dealing with Poor Feedback

The truth is, if you’re doing a lot of business, someday someone will provide negative or poor feedback to you. It’s bound to happen. In fact, if it never happens you may not be reaching as many people as you can with your solutions. Even though it hurts to get poor feedback, it can actually help your business grow.

Don’t Get Defensive

There is no doubt that negative feedback can be upsetting and demoralizing. However, it’s imperative that you put the feedback in the right context before you let yourself get defensive. Most of the time, a defensive posture happens because you believe the feedback.

Don’t Ignore It (with One Caveat)

When you get negative feedback, you shouldn’t ignore it – with one exception. If the feedback is a spammy attack, you’re best off just deleting it (if possible) or ignoring it. But if there is any validity to the complaint at all, even if it’s not correct, don’t ignore it. Instead, use the information to improve your process.

Avoid Online Verbal Wars

It’s tempting to attack people back when they dis you online in a forum or message board – or worse, on Twitter and Facebook. But the truth is, this is not going to solve anything. Respond kindly, giving them a way to deal with you in private to resolve the situation, and let others know where they can get help if they have the same issue too.

Deal with It as Privately as Possible

If you can take the discussion privately, that’s the best option. However, remember that today, private may not stay private. Pretend you’re in public even when you’re dealing with them in private so that you can avoid any more embarrassment.

Be Open, Honest, and Transparent

Even if you’re wrong, keep it real. You don’t want to be caught hiding information that is important if a complaint has been taken public. You’ll want to admit to mistakes, show how you’re going to fix it, and then move on.

Promote Positive Images of Your Business

Meanwhile, as you are dealing with the poor feedback and if it’s public, work toward getting out more positive information and content. Blog more about successes and show a more positive side of your business so that people who are noticing the issue will also see the good that you do.

Listen Carefully

Whenever someone has feedback for you, it’s essential that you listen very carefully. If someone is upset, they tend to get more emotional and use hurtful words and phrasing. Try to let that go and listen to the meaning of the words regarding the things you have power over. If it’s written, you can take out all the words from the complaint that aren’t useful so you can focus on fixing the real issue.

Be Open to Change

If poor feedback is a one-time thing, you may not need to change anything. But if you notice more than one person complaining about the same issue, be open to changing how you are doing something in order to improve.

Dealing with poor feedback might feel intimidating sometimes, but you can get through it if you have a plan in place before it happens. Consider the types of feedback that might hurt your business and then do everything you can to avoid it happening. And if it does happen, deal with it openly, honestly, and transparently as soon as possible.