How to Improve Your Perspective on Women

View women as individuals., Recognize that men and women communicate in much the same way., Recognize that some women are silenced because of social conditioning., Cultivate active listening skills., Pursue friendships with women.

5 Steps 3 min read Medium

Step-by-Step Guide

  1. Step 1: View women as individuals.

    It is important that you not view women as one singular group and instead recognize their differences.

    Remember that there is as much variation within the category of "women" as there is within the category of "men." This will help you to you avoid creating stereotypes and generalizations based upon an isolated negative experience.

    You may have had a bad experience with one woman or even several, but that does not mean that every woman will behave the same way towards you.
  2. Step 2: Recognize that men and women communicate in much the same way.

    Many people believe that men and women communicate in fundamentally different ways.

    However, studies generally show that men and women communicate in very similar ways, using similar words and cues.Tell yourself that women are not speaking another language: they are speaking the very same language that you speak.

    Talk to women in exactly the same way you would wish to be spoken to. , Even though men and women communicate in very similar ways, there are some power dynamics that do lead to some noticeable differences in how women and men communicate.

    For example, there has been some evidence that men might be more likely to interrupt than women and that women are less likely to speak up at work.In order to resist this conditioning, try the following:
    Do not talk over women when they are speaking.

    Invite women to contribute to the conversation.

    Appoint just as many women as men to lead meetings and make presentations. , Active listening is a difficult but important task in communication.

    While active listening is a tool to use when speaking with members of any gender, it can be a particularly effective means of communicating with women, who sometimes are silenced and spoken over.

    Active listening requires that you do the following:
    Prioritize understanding others over being understood yourselfRestate another person's point to ensure that you understood them correctlyAvoid distractions such as the phone or televisionAsk open-ended questions instead of leading questionsMake eye contactLegitimize the other person's feelings and concernsSuspend your judgmentsShow curiosity about the other person's interests and passions, Many people are suspicious of friendships between men and women.However, having friendships with members of the opposite sex can help you learn how to broaden your perspectives on life and introduce you to new ways of thinking.Resolve to become friends with more women without expectations of romance or sex: this will help you view women more sympathetically in the future.
  3. Step 3: Recognize that some women are silenced because of social conditioning.

  4. Step 4: Cultivate active listening skills.

  5. Step 5: Pursue friendships with women.

Detailed Guide

It is important that you not view women as one singular group and instead recognize their differences.

Remember that there is as much variation within the category of "women" as there is within the category of "men." This will help you to you avoid creating stereotypes and generalizations based upon an isolated negative experience.

You may have had a bad experience with one woman or even several, but that does not mean that every woman will behave the same way towards you.

Many people believe that men and women communicate in fundamentally different ways.

However, studies generally show that men and women communicate in very similar ways, using similar words and cues.Tell yourself that women are not speaking another language: they are speaking the very same language that you speak.

Talk to women in exactly the same way you would wish to be spoken to. , Even though men and women communicate in very similar ways, there are some power dynamics that do lead to some noticeable differences in how women and men communicate.

For example, there has been some evidence that men might be more likely to interrupt than women and that women are less likely to speak up at work.In order to resist this conditioning, try the following:
Do not talk over women when they are speaking.

Invite women to contribute to the conversation.

Appoint just as many women as men to lead meetings and make presentations. , Active listening is a difficult but important task in communication.

While active listening is a tool to use when speaking with members of any gender, it can be a particularly effective means of communicating with women, who sometimes are silenced and spoken over.

Active listening requires that you do the following:
Prioritize understanding others over being understood yourselfRestate another person's point to ensure that you understood them correctlyAvoid distractions such as the phone or televisionAsk open-ended questions instead of leading questionsMake eye contactLegitimize the other person's feelings and concernsSuspend your judgmentsShow curiosity about the other person's interests and passions, Many people are suspicious of friendships between men and women.However, having friendships with members of the opposite sex can help you learn how to broaden your perspectives on life and introduce you to new ways of thinking.Resolve to become friends with more women without expectations of romance or sex: this will help you view women more sympathetically in the future.

About the Author

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Nicholas Evans

Nicholas Evans has dedicated 3 years to mastering lifestyle and practical guides. As a content creator, Nicholas focuses on providing actionable tips and step-by-step guides.

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