The differences in gender and the research behind male and female brains tell us that women are more likely to recall reading this story.
On average, women use three times as many words as their male counterparts, so it may take more time for female professionals to get to a point in a meeting. Women are also more likely to use vocal variation. How communication centers connect – men think front to back, and women think side to side.
Some of the gender speech attributes between men and women can be explained through biological differences in the human brain.
Jill Bruning is the executive vice president and general manager at Amentum and a former mechanical engineer, serving in the intelligence community for 35 years. She was often the only female in the room and didn’t necessarily talk about the differences between men and women in this field. It was her background as an engineer that lead her to her current research on gender differences in the brain.
In 2020, that has certainly changed, and diversity and inclusion in the defense industry is a prominent topic. The Intelligence and National Security Alliance’s reimagined ‘The New IC: Empowering Women and Engaging Men’ program focused on fostering much needed conversation and providing actionable insights for attendees to take back and apply within their own organizations.
Bruning lead a conversation on the one of many differences between males and females: the brain. “Bias is Biological: Understanding, Embracing and Leveraging Our Differences for Success and Balance” explained some of the more than 100 differences between female and male brains—including how they speak, think, and interact socially—and encouraged viewers to recognize these differences as a means to empower inclusion and boost each other up.
Bruning notes that when we think about the best outcomes, it’s when both brains work together. The most profound thinking differences are found in gender, so the key in defense is gender balance. Because there is value and need in both.
“When we bring them to awareness is when we can start to do something about it,” said Bruning. “That’s the important part of understanding is to be able to help include everyone and value the different ways we think, communicate and speak.”
