Women don't ask

While reading the section of the textbook I was surprised at the simple fact that men tend to ask for things/negotiate simply more often than women do. I had never though about the fact that there good be a difference in that are just related to gender. The results of the study surpassed me because when I initially started to read that section I thought that there really soundly be any difference between how men and women negotiate. So seeing that there was a bigger surprise than I thought that I would be. I was expecting there to be a big difference in age not gender. I had assumed that older people would be more laid back in their negotiates and not do as much as the ambitious younger negotiator. Really before reading this text I didn't think that there would be a measurable difference between men and women at the negotiation table.

Another thing in the reading that didn't surprised me was how the male dominated culture of the workforce puts pressure on women in negotiation. While reading I thought about a connect that I learned in one of my psychology classes relating to the social pressure on people when they are outnumbered in a situation. So much of the problems that women face can simply relate back to the fact that they are outnumbered while negotiating and feel that they have less power because of it. The text mentioned that the strategies that are employed by women can sometimes be more effective overall than the strategies that men use. Thinking about those two things together made ne realize how sad it is. Women can be better as the negotiation table than men, but for reasons completely beyond there control, they feel that they are less no matter what.