Business Networking and Sex - Ivan Misner [29]
LEFT WHEEL VS. DUAL WHEEL DRIVE
Women process equally in both sides of the brain. By using “dual-wheel” brain processing women typically solve problems more creatively than men and are more aware of feelings while communicating.
Men tend to process better in the left hemisphere.
This helps to explain why men are generally stronger in left-brain activities and approach problem-solving from a task-oriented perspective.
MATHEMATICAL ABILITIES
Typically this is not a female strength. The IPL (inferior-parietal lobule) is smaller in women than men. In women, however, it processes sensory information. The larger right side in women allows them to focus on specific stimuli, such as a baby crying in the night.
The IPL brain area is typically significantly larger in men, especially on the left side, than in women. This is the same area that in Einstein’s brain was discovered to be abnormally large. This section is thought to control mathematical ability, and supports men being more logical than emotional, because mathematics is a study of logic. How many women do you know that like Spock on Star Trek? I can’t think of any. He was way too logical to be liked by women. To men, he made great sense. He was mathematical in his thinking.
STRESSFUL SITUATIONS
Women gather that which is important to them to protect and nurture. Psychologist Shelley E. Taylor coined the phrase “tend and befriend” after recognizing that during times of stress women take care of themselves and their children (tending) and form strong group bonds (befriending).
Here’s something interesting: The reason for these different reactions to stress is rooted in hormones. The hormone oxytocin is released during stress in everyone. However, estrogen tends to enhance oxytocin, resulting in calming and nurturing feelings, whereas testosterone, which men produce in high levels during stress, reduces the effects of oxytocin.
Men generally have a “fight or flight” response to stress situations. This means that when we are faced with a stressful situation, we will instinctively either take it head-on or totally avoid and not deal with it. Most men are not very good at the in-between. As the true problem solvers that men are, they want the issue resolved immediately, and if they are not going to do it personally they will the resolve it by not dealing with it. Once they decide they are not dealing with it, they conclude that the problem is resolved. (Dumb, yes, but that is who we are.)
SUPERIOR VERBAL SKILLS
Two sections of the brain responsible for language were found to be larger in women than in men, which supports why women typically excel in language-based subjects and in language-associated thinking. Women process language in both hemispheres.
Men tend to only process language in our dominant hemisphere. Gentlemen, this means that you will rarely, if ever, win an argument with a woman. You just don’t have the vocabulary or the marathon speaking ability to make it across the finish line. Just go have a beer and wait until it’s over.
EMOTIONAL CONNECTIONS
Women typically have a larger deep limbic system than men, which allows them to be more in touch with their feelings and better able to express them, which promotes bonding. Because of this ability to connect, more women serve as caregivers for children. Could this be why women tend to be better at building such strong networks?
We men are not as in touch with our feelings, or if we are, we are certainly not comfortable using the information we get from observing them on a regular basis. This means that we have to make a conscious effort to form a bonding relationship with others. Our networks tend to be smaller and more task-driven, rather than help-driven. For those of you who are thinking that that is how they should be—small and focused on results—you have no idea how much money you are leaving