Bridging the Gender Gap: What Managers Need to Know
Men and women work differently, and smart managers need to understand these differences in order to make sure they treat each group fairly. Sally Helgesen, author of The Female Advantage: Women Ways of Leadership, explains some of the nuances that managers should consider:

• Women work at a steady pace, and build in small breaks throughout the day. Men are more likely to work nonstop, at a frantic pace, with no breaks.
• Women workers tend to see themselves at the "center" of things; whereas men often view themselves at the "top."
• Women place a high priority on relationships in the workplace - with their subordinates, peers and bosses. Because of that, they are much more likely to make themselves available to peers and subordinates than male workers.
• Women try harder to make time for family and home life. It's often a high priority for them. Men often view the home as a "branch office," and are more likely to let work take precedence over family and outside activities.
• Women are more comfortable sharing information; men tend to collect it, and often hoard it.

Use these Simple Techniques to Save Time on the Telephone
The telephone is obviously a great business tool. However, you have to control it - not the other way around. Once you become a slave to your phone, it can actually steal away a lot more hours than it saves. Here are some simple phone tips you can put to use immediately:

1. Set time limits on each call. As soon as the callers identify themselves and their purpose, jot down a time limit on a piece of paper where you can see it. Otherwise, you run the risk of spending too much time with unimportant calls.
2. Leave specific voice mail messages. If you simply ask for callbacks, you will later have to explain to people your reason for the original call, wait for them to analyze the situation, hold on while they make up their minds, and so on. By leaving a specific message, callers can think about things on their own, and call you with an answer.
3. Stand up when you answer the phone. And keep standing while you talk. You'll spend less time on the call and sound more energetic.
4. Call "talkers" at the end of the day. We all have those business associates who just love to talk on the phone. If you need to call these people, do so at the end of the day, when their apt to spend less time on the phone.
5. Set up a signal system. When you give a signal to another person in your office, that person interrupts you to handle an important matter. This gives you a graceful way to end a seemingly endless conversation.
6. Use the "hold" technique. If you're having trouble getting someone off the phone, imply that you're busy by asking them if it's okay to put them on hold. Do this once or twice and most people will get the message and let you go.

Turf Line News February/March 1999