I watched an episode of Steven Bartlett’s Diary of a CEO where he discussed with Mo Gawdat, the former head of Google X, about how individuals possess both “masculine” and “feminine” energies. However, generally, men tend to exhibit more masculine energy and vice versa. This poses an issue in industries predominantly led by men, such as IT, resulting in imbalanced and one-sided thinking.

A while back, we faced a challenging project update meeting with the client’s incumbent system vendor. We were missing crucial information from the vendor despite multiple follow-ups over several weeks. Consequently, the project faced delays. Instead of understanding our predicament, the vendor’s representative resorted to aggressive behavior, blaming us for the delays. We had proof (an email from them lacking the necessary information), but tensions were high.

My initial reaction was to retaliate, assert dominance, and prove our point aggressively. However, this approach could have damaged our relationship with the vendor, crucial for project success. Fortunately, Kriti, our senior female consultant, managed the project.

Kriti handled the situation differently. She listened attentively, remained composed, and empathized. She presented our evidence collaboratively, avoiding a confrontational tone. The outcome? The vendor’s demeanor changed, they apologized, and provided the required information. After the meeting, the client praised our handling of the situation and expressed disappointment in the vendor’s behavior.

From this experience, I’ve learned to recognize the harm of an overly masculine mindset and embrace softer, more collaborative, and compassionate traits. These qualities, often associated with femininity, can bring balance, perspective, and benefits to our team, management styles, and business as a whole.