Gender Communication PowerPoint

Characteristics associated with gender communication patterns

Ms. Cindy Kenkel

Battle of the Sexes

Disclaimer

Observations are by no means applicableto ALL men or women in ALLbusiness environments.

Men – motivated by power or status

Women – motivated by connection

Deborah Tannen

Why so many differences?

Male Female

Verbal Feeling Verbal & Feeling in both sides

There really are biological differences

How do you get from How do you get from here to there?here to there?

Gender:

Absolute vs. General

Direction

Streets vs. Landmarks

Women

General(left, right)

Landmarks

(by the gas

station)Men Absolute

(North, South)Streets

(Walnut, Main)

“What would you like to do?”

Women perceive it as an invitation for discussion and negotiation

Men perceive it as the stimulus for direct answer

In decision making

Women more likely to downplay their certainty

Men more likely to downplay their doubts

Leading style

Women tend to lead by making suggestions

Men tend to lead by giving orders

Give directions in indirect ways

Women give directions in indirect ways

Men perceive it as confusing, unsure or manipulative

Criticism

Women tend to temper criticism with positive buffers

Men tend to give criticism directly

How is your lemonade?

“What do you think?”

A means for women to build consensus

Men perceive it as a sign of incompetence and lack of confidence

“Am I right or wrong?”

Women feel that men are not direct enough in telling women if they are right

Men feel that women are not direct enough in telling men if they are wrong

Audience adaptation in a group

Women – tend to change their communication styles to

adapt to the presence of the men– practice “silent applause”

Women in position of authority

Women tend to be less accustomed to dealing with conflict and attacks

A Bluff or an Ultimatum?

Women misunderstand men’s ultimatums asserious threats rather than one more negotiationstrategy.

This is nonnegotiable.

Fine, then. Have it your way.

Women need to improve negotiation skills Women 2.5 times more likely to feel “a

great deal of apprehension” about negotiating

Women will pay as much as $1,353 more to avoid negotiating car price

Men are 4 times more likely to negotiate their first salary (not doing this costs you over $500,000 by the time you retire)

Research shows

__________ managers tend to have more of adesire to build than a desire to win and aremore likely to compromise.

I’m sorry? Why?

Women tend to apologize even when they have done nothing wrong.

Men tend to avoid apologies as a signof weakness or concession.

Rapport vs Report Talk

Rapport -Women tend to mix business talk with talk about their personal lives.

Report:Men mix business talk with banterabout sports, politics, or jokes.

Did you say Dr.?

Women are more often referred to bytheir first name than are men, sometimesas a sign of less respect for women andsometimes as a sign of presumed familiarity or intimacy.

Interruptions

Men tend to interrupt women much morethan women interrupt men.

Idea Generation

Men tend to usurp ideas stated by womenand claim them as their own.

Women tend to allow this process to take place without protest.

Tag Questions

Women appear to seek permission orvalidation by the addition of “tag questions” to their assertions.

Let’s hold the meeting in my office, OK?

Why Girls Don’t Get the Corner Office

Discussion

Which communication patterns do youobserve in yourself that agree with thelist of items we just covered?

Which communication patterns do youdisagree with?