There are many differences between men and women. They do things differently, and even conduct themselves differently. There are also enormous differences in the way they communicate in the way they communicate in different settings. Men and women have different perceptions and perspectives which affect the way they understand things. The differences in their perception and understanding subsequently lead to the differences in the way they communicate. This research will focus on the differences in the way men and women communicate in their work environment.
One of the most common forms of communication at the workplace is giving orders. Women and men show enormous differences in the way they manage their colleagues or juniors and give orders. Various studies into the men and women manage others at the workplace show that women tend to make their statements and demands soft while make their statements and demands very direct (Thiederman, n.d.). For instance, women may employ taglines like “If you don’t mind” before making a demand or “don’t you think” before suggesting an idea. This is because the society conditions women to nature harmony in relationships. The conditioning leads them to use hedging statements and softening their orders thus making their communication more tentative. However, the tentative approach to communication should not be confused with lack of confidence. Similarly, men’s use of more direct language should not be confused with bossiness or arrogance.
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Another area of communication that women and men show enormous differences is asking questions. Women tend to ask many questions compared to men. To men and women, questions stand for different things. Men use question for one reason: to seek information. According to Annis & Gray (2014) men prefer thinking and feel that asking a lot of questions can drag progress and decision-making process. Men also perceive asking questions as a sign of weakness. Conversely, women use questions for two reasons. One is to seek information. Women also frequently ask questions even when they already have the answers. The reason for this is to express interest in the tasks their colleagues are undertaking to nature relationships. While men feel that a lot of questions from a female boss is a sign that she is too controlling, women feel that asking questions is making a positive contribution through fostering sharing of ideas and expressing concern.
In many instances, women usually feel excluded from communication when men keep talking. Men often interrupt each other as they throw ideas at each other (Gray, 2012). Women cannot keep up with such rapid exchanges and thus remain silent while the men assume that the women are silent because they have nothing to add (Gray, 2012). The women in such situation feel that the men do not value their presence. On the other hand, when women in a group notice that some of the people present are silent, they invite them to give their ideas or opinions. Women like to be inclusive. This difference in their approaches to communication manifests in the way the treat acknowledgment. Men prefer individual acknowledgment while women prefer to be team players.
According to Leigh (2010), the use of metaphors also varies between the genders. Women use metaphors, illustrations or stories concerning home and relationships to pass points or ideas across. On the other hand, men use war and sports illustrations to demonstrate their thoughts. Such difference can sometimes result in communication conflicts since women find the illustrations used by men difficult to comprehend while men also have a hard time understanding the stories that women use. To avoid such conflicts both males and females should learn and try to use gender neutral illustrations to avoid misunderstandings.
Last, women like to tell and hear stories. This is their approaching for connecting with their colleagues. They also like talking about their feelings (Leigh, 2010). On the hand, as noted earlier, men prefer getting straight to the point. Rather than explaining processes or activities, men prefer getting the conclusion and communicating their point. Also, rather than focus on feelings, men prefer to state facts. They skip the feelings part.
Men and women are different. Therefore, they will always do things differently. The differences strongly influence the way they communicate in different settings. Men seem less interested in talking, and when they talk, they seem not to care about women. Women, on the other hand, like talking, which men may find exhausting. As a result, such difference can lead to conflicts between the genders. To prevent such conflicts, it is necessary to find a common ground and try to nature the gender to accommodate each other in the way they communicate.
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References
Annis, B. & Gray, J. (2014). Work with Me: The 8 Blind Spots Between Men and Women in Business . New York: St. Martin's Griffin
Gray, J. (2012). Men Are from Mars, Women Are from Venus: The Classic Guide to Understanding the Opposite Sex . Harper Paperbacks.
Leigh, E. (2010). Men & Women Communicating in the Workplace . Retrieved from http://www.communicatingwithpatients.com/articles/male_female_communication.html
Thiederman, S. (n.d.). He Said, She Said . Retrieved from http://www.monster.com/career-advice/article/he-said-she-said
