Leadership and the Sexes - (Jossey-Bass Leadership) by Michael Gurian (Hardcover)

About the Book

Through examples and case studies from companies like Kodak, Nike, Nintendo, Home Depot, Proctor & Gamble, Avon, and Disney, this book maintains that ignoring gender balance actually impedes the true potential of any business.

Book Synopsis

Michael Gurian's trademark use of brain science in gender studies together with real life examples of what is currently happening in business leadership make this an important resource for businesses and organizations. It provides new vision and useful practical applications, helping women and men in the workplace become more effective and fulfilled, and ultimately helping businesses and business leaders realize increased profits. Through examples and case studies from companies like Kodak, Nike, Nintendo, Home Depot, Proctor & Gamble, Avon, and Disney, the book shows readers how ignoring gender diversity actually impedes the true potential of any business.

From the Back Cover

"This powerful and timely book unlocks gender truths for the workplace. Every businessperson--man or woman--needs to read this book."
--Louann Brizendine, M.D., author, The Female Brain and The Male Brain

LEADERSHIP AND THE SEXES

EACH OF US ENTERS THE WORKPLACE not only as a human being, but as a woman or a man. Leadership and the Sexes links the actual science of male/female brain differences to every aspect of business. Written by the New York Times bestselling author and gender expert Michael Gurian and acclaimed workplace gender consultant Barbara Annis, this groundbreaking book weaves brain science and gender studies with real-life examples from business leaders to provide a new vision of gender diversity.

Leadership and the Sexes presents brain science tools with which readers can look into the brains of men and women to understand themselves and one another. The book also provides five GenderTools, which can be used immediately in executive, management, design, and marketing teams. The gender science presented in this book has been used successfully by such diverse corporations as IBM, Nissan, Proctor & Gamble, Deloitte & Touche, PriceWaterhouseCoopers, Brooks Sports, and many others. This gender science helps leaders increase their organization's competitive edge, profits, and bottom line by:

• Increasing gender intelligence between men and women
• Discovering new ways to supervise, negotiate, and manage
• Revising male/female relationships to meet the demands of the global economy
• Understanding how to utilize gender science to sell and market products and services

The corporation that utilizes the authentic differences between men and women is the organization that discovers significant competitive advantage. The company or firm that helps women and men understand each other discovers maximum success.

Review Quotes

Using a hefty helping of neurobiology, corporate moguls Gurian and Annis illustrate how brain chemistry influences gender and how gender in turn powerfully affects every aspect of workplace behavior. The authors contend that corporations attentive to gender and behavior can enhance their performance, competitive edge and bottom line. The authors discuss how men and women wield leadership, bond, regard and execute authority and approach management and conflict resolution skills--applying their findings on male/female brain differences to account for the variations in behavior. Though they tackle the big questions--for instance, do women have to become men to get ahead?--they are at their best when at their most practical, using step-by-step instructions, exercises and simply worded "GenderTools" to teach men and women to understand each other in meetings and on the golf course. Though a front-loaded density of neuroscience may deter the casual browser, readers with a genuine interest and a desire to improve workplace gender relations will do well with this pragmatic and well-intentioned guide. (Aug.) (PublishersWeekly.com, June 23, 2008)

About the Author

The Authors

Michael Gurian is a thought-leader, corporate consultant, family therapist, and the New York Times bestselling author of twenty-five books, including Leading Partners, The Wonder of Girls, Boys and Girls Learn Differently!, The Wonder of Boys, and The Minds of Boys. The co-founder of the Gurian Institute, he has spearheaded a national effort to provide communities and corporations with training in brain-based gender issues.

Barbara Annis is a thought-leader, corporate consultant on gender intelligence and inclusive leadership, CEO of Barbara Annis & Associates, and author of Same Words, Different Language. She has more than twenty years' experience as a specialist in gender issues in the workplace. Annis and her associates have delivered large-scale corporate projects on leadership, gender intelligence, and diversity. She also serves on the Harvard KSG Women's Leadership Board.