The Male Mind at Work : A Woman's Guide to Working with Men (Hardcover)

by Deborah Swiss (Author), Deborah J. Swiss (Author) "Women need to swagger," announced Eric Stephens, a vice president in the biotech industry..." (more)
Key Phrases: male lens, male code, gender lens, Code Breaker, Bill Haber, Barry Walker (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly
What could have been a breakthrough book for working women who want to hone their skills for success turns out to be little more than a lackluster attempt to interpret and explain men's attitudes toward women in the workplace, one that won't generate much word of mouth despite its compelling subject. Swiss (Women and the Work/Family Dilemma; Women Breaking Through) interviewed 52 successful men in a range of professions and influential positions to elicit candid opinions about their experiences with female colleagues. Most of this group assembled by Swiss, a management consultant on gender equity, are singularly unenlightened men who focus on women's lack of confidence and reluctance to take risks or make mistakes, and who emphasize the importance of competitive sports in making team players; these men also clearly feel (and resent) the need to be careful in their language and behavior. Although she does a fine job extracting and cogently organizing the essence of their thinking, the results will dishearten most readers. To help women map their career tactics effectively, Swiss supplies a series of "code breakers," or brief strategic suggestions ("Act self-assured, even when you're not") and familiar advice ("Choose your battles carefully"). Unfortunately, her examples lack color, dimension and insight. Not all of her subjects regard women poorly, but by the time she gets to "the top 10 reasons men like working with women," most readers will have given up. (Oct.)
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Description

Knowledge is a powerful tool. The Male Mind at Work answers troublesome and intriguing questions about how men behave on the job. This thought-provoking book shatters myths about what really goes on in the male mind while confirming for women the realities about gender differences that have always existed. It offers clear strategies for women who feel frustrated and confused because male colleagues speak a different language or play by different rules, and contains valuable truths about the male psyche so that woman can more effectively operate in the workplace.By looking through this gender lens, a woman will gain a better understanding of the male perspective in order to network with men, manage a difficult male colleague, boss, or subordinate, and compete with confidence. The Male Mind at Work arms women with the power to use this knowledge effectively-without sacrificing their own identities and personal strengths.You won't find this unique and surprising information anywhere else-it's gleaned from firsthand interviews and original research. The Male Mind at Work reveals surprising insights from male CEOs and executives and presents very specific advice women can use to enhance their careers including: o How successful men approach and handle power struggles with their female colleagues o What some prominent male CEOs view as their most effective business traits and how they use their gender to cultivate them o How men are able to put on a game face to conceal guilt and channel emotion o Ways men enjoy working with women and how female colleagues make them furious o How women can learn from the achievements and missteps of men without sacrificing their own feminine identity

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 304 pages
• Publisher: Basic Books (August 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0738203270
• ISBN-13: 978-0738203270
• Product Dimensions: 9.5 x 6.5 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #2,237,490 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Gender-Specific and Yet...., January 5, 2001

By	Robert Morris (Dallas, Texas) - See all my reviews (TOP 50 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

Throughout eight chapters, Swiss suggests how women can "add swagger to their step, put on a game face, balance feminine and masculine traits, maneuver adversity and adversaries, cope with mixed signals and the great gender divide." She also offers reasons men why like working with women, secrets of strong leaders, and concludes with suggestions as to how to open "the gender lens. "Here is a woman's guide to working with men. (It could also serve as a man's guide to working with other men as well as with women.) Based on extensive interviews, Swiss offers some insightful comments and practical suggestions which, in this male's opinion, will help women to improve (or at least clarify) their relationships with men. Of course, not all men think and act alike; nor do all women. We all know abrasive and aggressive women as well as gentle and acquiescent men. Each possesses a unique combination of what are perceived to be masculine and feminine traits. Men and women often approach quite differently a broad range of career issues such as hiring and firing, conveying confidence, facing competition, participating on a team, building business alliances, saying "no" and setting limits, dealing with difficult people and difficult situations, managing and motivating others. Sound familiar? I agree with Swiss that there are certain "valuable truths about the male psyche" which, properly understood, can reduce (if not eliminate) problems many women have with that psyche in action. (Many males do not as yet understand, much less appreciate these "valuable truths.") This book will be valuable for anyone who seeks a better understanding of the male mentality, not only at work but everywhere else.

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I really loved this book., October 2, 2000

By A Customer

This book is incisive and helpful. As a woman in a male dominated field, I can attest that Swiss' advice is entirely on target. In addition to offering effective ways to succeed, it's also a good read. Very entertaining. If you are a women who wants to work more effectively with male colleagues--read this book.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars some interesting if not earth-shattering observations, August 12, 2001

By	M. H. Bayliss "book queen" - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

Though I didn't feel that there was any shocking bit of new information, I did enjoy reading the candid comments of many CEO's regarding their perceptions of women. No surprise that many are intimidated by the very smart women that have risen to their level. I did feel that at times the differences between men and women were exaggerated somewhat, but the author does provide helpful pointers at the end of each chapter that are meant to help the reader put theory into practice. Most interesting is the idea that many top CEOs cite graciousness at the top quality they think makes them a strong leader -- I think men have learned something from women here as women are more likely than men to share the credit. Humility and graciousness go a long way, both in the business world and out. A good read with some useful information.