The Power of Talk: Who Gets Heard and Why By Deborah Tannen

The Power of Talk:The Power of Talk:

Who Gets Heard and WhyWho Gets Heard and Why

By Deborah TannenBy Deborah Tannen

Linguistic StyleLinguistic Style

A person’s characteristic speaking A person’s characteristic speaking pattern. A set of culturally learned pattern. A set of culturally learned signals by which we not only signals by which we not only communicate what we mean but also communicate what we mean but also interpret others’ meaning and interpret others’ meaning and evaluate one another as peopleevaluate one another as people


Features includeFeatures include Directness or indirectnessDirectness or indirectness Pacing & pausingPacing & pausing Word choiceWord choice Use of elements like jokes, figures of Use of elements like jokes, figures of

speech, stories, questions & apologiesspeech, stories, questions & apologies Turn takingTurn taking


Every utterance functions on two Every utterance functions on two levels:levels: Language communicates ideasLanguage communicates ideas Language negotiates relationshipsLanguage negotiates relationships

The KickerThe Kicker

Girls tend to learn conversational Girls tend to learn conversational rituals that focus on the rituals that focus on the rapportrapport dimension of relationships whereas dimension of relationships whereas boys tend to learn rituals that focus boys tend to learn rituals that focus on the on the statusstatus dimension dimension

Linguistic PatternsLinguistic Patterns

One Up, One DownOne Up, One Down Getting CreditGetting Credit Confidence & BoastingConfidence & Boasting Asking QuestionsAsking Questions


One Up, One DownOne Up, One Down Men tend to be sensitive to the power Men tend to be sensitive to the power

and attain one upand attain one up Women tend to be sensitive to rapport Women tend to be sensitive to rapport

and will take one downand will take one down Getting CreditGetting Credit

Men say ‘I’ where women say ‘we’Men say ‘I’ where women say ‘we’


Confidence & BoastingConfidence & Boasting Women downplay certaintyWomen downplay certainty Men minimize doubtsMen minimize doubts

Asking QuestionsAsking Questions Can put you in a one down position, Can put you in a one down position,

boys are more aware of thisboys are more aware of this

The norms of behavior in the US The norms of behavior in the US business world are based on the business world are based on the style of interaction that is more style of interaction that is more common among men—at least common among men—at least American men. American men.

Conversational RitualsConversational Rituals

Conversation is ritual in the sense Conversation is ritual in the sense that we speak in ways our culture that we speak in ways our culture has conventionalized and expect has conventionalized and expect certain types of responses.certain types of responses.

ApologiesApologies FeedbackFeedback ComplimentsCompliments Ritual OppositionRitual Opposition


ApologiesApologies Women say I’m sorry more often than menWomen say I’m sorry more often than men Puts in one-down, even though other women Puts in one-down, even though other women

know they aren’t really sorryknow they aren’t really sorry FeedbackFeedback

Differing StylesDiffering Styles ComplimentsCompliments

Women pay more than men, puts at a Women pay more than men, puts at a disadvantage in the work placedisadvantage in the work place


Ritual OppositionRitual Opposition An exploration through verbal An exploration through verbal

oppositionopposition They put their ideas in the most They put their ideas in the most

certain and absolute form they can, certain and absolute form they can, and wait to see if they are challengedand wait to see if they are challenged

Being forced to defend an idea gives Being forced to defend an idea gives the opportunity to test itthe opportunity to test it

Negotiating AuthorityNegotiating Authority

Actual authority has to be negotiated day to Actual authority has to be negotiated day to dayday

Managing Up and DownManaging Up and Down Boys are rewarded for talking up their Boys are rewarded for talking up their

accomplishments, girls aren’taccomplishments, girls aren’t IndirectnessIndirectness

The tendency to say what we mean The tendency to say what we mean without spelling it outwithout spelling it out

Men are often more directMen are often more direct

What to do?What to do?

Become aware Become aware Make sure everyone is heardMake sure everyone is heard Be more flexibleBe more flexible

Industrial-Organizational PsychologyIndustrial-Organizational Psychology Learning Module Learning Module

LeadershipLeadershipand Gender and Gender StereotypesStereotypes

Prepared by the Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology - SIOP © 1998

Leadership PerceptionsLeadership Perceptions Leadership is hard to defineLeadership is hard to define

but we know it when we see it!but we know it when we see it! Leadership Perceptions ApproachLeadership Perceptions Approach

people must first be recognized as people must first be recognized as leaders. leaders.

then they are allowed to influence then they are allowed to influence followers.followers.

followers determine the ultimate success followers determine the ultimate success of leaders.of leaders.


General Model of General Model of Leadership PerceptionsLeadership Perceptions

Leader behavior determines follower Leader behavior determines follower perceptions, which are associated with perceptions, which are associated with positive or negative outcomes.positive or negative outcomes.

Outcomes such as success can also Outcomes such as success can also serve to shape follower perceptions.serve to shape follower perceptions.

General Model:General Model:

LeaderBehavior

FollowerPerceptions

Individual,Group, and

OrganizationalOutcomes


Gender and Leadership Gender and Leadership PerceptionsPerceptions

Identical behavior from men and Identical behavior from men and women is interpreted women is interpreted differentlydifferently..

Perceivers attach different labels to Perceivers attach different labels to the same behaviors enacted by men the same behaviors enacted by men and women.and women.

One reason is because of One reason is because of gender gender stereotypesstereotypes..

LeaderBehavior

FollowerPerceptions

Individual,Group, and

OrganizationalOutcomes


Gender Stereotypes and Gender Stereotypes and Leadership PerceptionsLeadership Perceptions

Stereotypes are expectations about Stereotypes are expectations about members of certain groups.members of certain groups.

Gender-based stereotypes include beliefs Gender-based stereotypes include beliefs about:about: expected interpersonal behaviorexpected interpersonal behavior the types of roles or jobs best suited for the types of roles or jobs best suited for

men and women.men and women. The role of gender stereotypes in The role of gender stereotypes in

employment was at issue in Price employment was at issue in Price Waterhouse v. Hopkins.Waterhouse v. Hopkins.


Gender Stereotypes and Gender Stereotypes and Leadership PerceptionsLeadership Perceptions

Ann B. Hopkins was a high-performing, but Ann B. Hopkins was a high-performing, but masculine acting, prospective partner at PW.masculine acting, prospective partner at PW.

Hopkins alleged she was denied partnership Hopkins alleged she was denied partnership because of her gender.because of her gender.

PW countered that Hopkins had interpersonal PW countered that Hopkins had interpersonal problems (e.g., she was "macho").problems (e.g., she was "macho").

Court eventually ruled that gender-based Court eventually ruled that gender-based stereotyping influenced perceptions of her stereotyping influenced perceptions of her behavior.behavior.

Because she was a woman in a nontraditional Because she was a woman in a nontraditional role, Hopkins' behavior was seen as more role, Hopkins' behavior was seen as more

extreme than men who behaved similarlyextreme than men who behaved similarly..Prepared by the Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology - SIOP © 1998

Controlling our Controlling our StereotypingStereotyping

Everyone (or nearly everyone) engages Everyone (or nearly everyone) engages in stereotyping.in stereotyping.

Most recognize it is inappropriate to Most recognize it is inappropriate to judge others based on a stereotype.judge others based on a stereotype.

How can we learn to control our How can we learn to control our stereotyping?stereotyping?

One way is through One way is through conscious conscious controlcontrol. .


How do I/O psychologists help How do I/O psychologists help organizations control organizations control

stereotyping?stereotyping? Identifying organizational consequences Identifying organizational consequences

that gender and race stereotyping havethat gender and race stereotyping have Training employees to gather Training employees to gather

individuating informationindividuating information about the about the stereotyped personstereotyped person

getting to know the person as an individualgetting to know the person as an individual understanding benefits of diversityunderstanding benefits of diversity

Training employers to effectively Training employers to effectively manage diversitymanage diversity

Helping to minimize the effects of Helping to minimize the effects of stereotyping and unfair treatment of stereotyping and unfair treatment of employeesemployees


Sharing PerceptionsSharing Perceptions

How would you describe each of How would you describe each of these leaders?these leaders?

Was either of them more bossy or Was either of them more bossy or dominating?dominating?

Which of the leaders had greater Which of the leaders had greater skill, ability, or intelligence?skill, ability, or intelligence?

Did they both fit your image of a Did they both fit your image of a leader? Why or why not?leader? Why or why not?


Sharing Perceptions (cont.)Sharing Perceptions (cont.) Previous research indicates that the Previous research indicates that the

same behavior by men and women same behavior by men and women leaders results in different leaders results in different perceptions.perceptions.

Women are seen as more bossy and Women are seen as more bossy and dominating.dominating.

Men are seen as having greater Men are seen as having greater ability, skill, and intelligence.ability, skill, and intelligence.

Gender stereotypes influence our Gender stereotypes influence our reactions, even without our reactions, even without our awareness.awareness.


Documents

The Power of Talk: Who Gets Heard and Why By Deborah Tannen