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"It's time to have a new conversation on gender talk," Glaser said. "Given the accessibility and profusion of information these days - through blogs, Web sites and even around the water cooler - the issues are being discussed anyway. But organizations can step up and address them head-on to find some constructive solutions."
Fighting Stereotypes
Glaser frequently conducts workshops and seminars for companies to help employees break down gender stereotypes. Those sessions also have provided plenty of material for her writing.
"For instance, I went to ESPN headquarters in Connecticut to make presentations on gender issues," Glaser recalled. "During a tour of the campus, I noticed a couple of high-level women standing in the hall as a man approached. The women wanted to engage him - ask him questions, invite him to join - because they like inclusiveness.
"Translate this into a meeting: A woman is waiting to be invited in, to be asked her opinion. That's the appropriate thing to do in the female culture. But the male culture is more like a pickup basketball game: You want in, you jump in."
Glaser saw similar differences during a visit to a large Massachusetts hospital, where a newly promoted female physician was treated to a celebration at a cigar bar by her male colleagues.
"They thought they were including her, but she saw the cigar bar as an alien environment," Glaser said.
One of the most frequently asked questions Glaser hears is, "Do women have to emulate men to be successful?"
"Definitely not," she said. "Women bring to the table a different set of strengths. The focus of my book 'Swim With the Dolphins' was about succeeding in corporate America, not by being sharks, but by building your own strengths."
Company Programs
Many companies have started workplace programs to help women define and focus on their strengths. Glaser cites Deloitte & Touche's Personal Pursuits program, which allows women to take leave from the company for up to five years but still stay involved by attending workshops, keeping skills current and updating professional credentials.
Turner Broadcasting's Turner Women Today offers networking and training opportunities.
Atlanta also is home to Pathbuilders Inc., which pairs executives from established companies with up-and-coming women from other companies.
"So someone from Delta may be paired with someone from Turner for a year," Glaser explained. "That provides a role model and often opens doors."
The Board of Directors Network is another local organization that helps women build the credentials needed to serve on corporate boards.
"In the past, a lot of organizations have formed women's initiatives to give them the tools, network and mentors to help them succeed," Glaser said. "What I see right now is a lot of emphasis on diversity but with tremendous gender differences.
"There is a certain level of enlightenment on how men and women are hard-wired differently, how they communicate and solve problems differently. It's not a right-or-wrong situation. The key now is to leverage those differences so men and women work together in a more collaborative way, before there are hurt feelings, conflicts and even major lawsuits."
Read about the Top Gender Barriers Women Face in the Workplace.