How to Avoid Emotional Collisions with your Male Co-Workers

Men look one way on the outside but feel another way on the inside

You see, in every area of life, men look confident but doubt themselves on the inside. Actually, in my research with male professionals for The Male Factor, three out of four said that their confident exterior is just hiding what they described as an “impostor complex.” Inside is this feeling: I want to do a great job at this… but someone is going to discover that I don’t know what the heck I’m doing.

Tweet this: Men look confident but doubt themselves on the inside.

So, while your colleague is standing at the whiteboard presenting his reasoning and strategy, he’s got all this unseen self-doubt under the surface. Now, picture what is likely going on internally when you raise your hand and ask: “Dave, why did you come to that decision?” The guy is likely thinking, I can’t believe she is challenging me in front of the whole team. Instead of viewing you as someone simply gathering information, he sees you as someone who is doubting his decision-making skills in front of his peers. And boss. That certainly was not your intention at all but that’s how it was perceived.