Men are from Mars

photo courtesy of:en.wikipedia.org

I read an article in the People Management journal in the course of the week which I found quite interesting. It absolutely cracked me up to be honest.

Men have been tagged “solitary breeds.” The argument was based on a research which revealed that a larger percentage of ‘men under 30’ would rather work without women. Reduced flirting, increased concentration and consequently, productivity were cited as benefits.

Clearly, the argument was Linked to the reputation held by single sex schools for churning out students who tend to be more focused -evidenced by their abilities to  perform better in comparison to their counterparts in mixed institutions.

Personally, I doubt if I’d want to work in a single sex organization. Women usually do have a lot going on (most especially with the likes of some overly sensitive female colleagues). However, I find that the blend of sexes does ease up some tension.

In my opinion, I would associate a female only workplace as potentially tending towards two extreme conditions – either an overly laid-back, complacent and harmonious atmosphere or a more charged and tension laden work environment.

Interestingly though, women who are more assertive and who are better able to balance their emotions, manage their personal lives & keep it apart from their professional lives have been seen to successfully lead teams, gain the trust of their staff and subsequently position their teams and organizations for optimum productivity.

While I may not be able to speak for the males, it’s an acceptable fact that variety of sexes in a society provide better balance. A fact of life is that men & women have different personalities and also see things differently. While it would come with its own challenges (like every other thing in life), this divergence of nature and views has the potential to improve performance, as divergent opinions and views can help in making the most appropriate decisions.

Imagine yourself working in a single sex organization for a minute. Did you enjoy your virtual experience? 🙂

Reference:

Men are a Solitary Breed. People Management Journal. November 2013 issue. p7.