Different thinking patterns

Up earlier than usual, with plenty on my mind. For a small non-profit office, sometimes opportunities come quickly, and it seems they are urgent, and must be acted on without delay. But working with a volunteer board of directors can often become problematic, if they :
1) are in a power struggle
2) try to avoid conflict
3) don't have enough information
4) don't realize the responsibility they have signed on to (in addition to their own jobs)
5) act too much out of emotion, or reason. ..without a good balance
6) are patriarchial and don't understand how women or people of color think --often indirectly, or in circular; most men & white business professionals are linear thinkers. .

how to strike a balance. .without having to give them a patronizing lesson in gender differences--or different learning/thinking styled-- that is the challenge.

I learned this over the years, even by watching my children; they are mostly linear thinkers; science & engineering majors.. .the world of science reasons completely opposite from the social/human relations/ liberal arts???

Of course, this same issue crops up in every classroom, when a student feels that the teacher 'doesn't understand them'. .or doesn't listen to them.. .If empathy or understanding is not there, but only expectations of doing it the way the teacher wants. .then there will be a disconnect. It should be the responsibility of the more mature person to be empathetic.. .
Daniel Goleman's books on Emotional Intelligence and later Social Intelligence explain both the anecdotal, rational and brain chemistry research that is behind how and why children can develop the important characteristic (or do not) of empathy.. .
In my opinion, it could be a major factor in teaching conflict resolution and violence prevention. In fact, I noticed that an organization in Canada recently got a grant for teaching Empathy. .that has been a premise that I have pondered on since the late 1990's when I was in seminary.. .
more to come. .stay tuned.