1. Listening as adaptation to
gender differences
WOMEN AND MEN
COMMUNICATE DIFFERENTLY
IN THE WORKPLACE
BY CHRIS LINEBACK

2. Gender
refers to the cultural and psychological characteristics associated with biological sex
 Gender is a set of  Masculine
behaviors learned through communication tends to
nurturing and cultural focus on the content
interaction. dimension—verbal
information, what is
 Gender is more complex said.
than a simple biological
definition of sex.  Feminine
communication tends to
 Gender refers to the terms focus on the relational
masculine and feminine. dimension –nonverbal
cues, how it is said.

3. Powerful and Powerless Language
Powerful language is Powerless language is
stereotypically masculine stereotypically feminine
 Characterized by  Places an emphasis on
assertiveness connection with others
 Attempts to foster
 Is more task oriented harmonious
relationships
 More focused on the  More focused on how
what of the something is
information being communicated
exchanged

4. Female communicators tend to:
 Use more hedge words.
Example: ―It seems possible that they are entering our market. Perhaps we should
develop a strategy that will prevent them from taking our customers.‖ (softens
the meaning)
 Use more tag questions
Example: ―That’s an interesting idea, isn’t it?‖ (combination of a statement and a
question)
 Use more intensifiers
Example: ―I’m incredibly happy for you and so proud of your tremendous
accomplishment.‖ (intensifiers help to communicate emotion)

5. Conversational Rituals
learned, routine scripts that people use to communicate with each other
 Masculine—learn to send
and receive messages High status
through a status lens.
Focus is on who has more
prestige or power in the
exchange. Closeness Distance
Women’s
 Feminine—send and Connection
Lens
receive messages through a Low status
connection lens. Focus
on who is closer or further
away from them
psychologically or
emotionally.
Men’s status lens

6. WARNING!
Conversational Rituals can misfire
when the message sent doesn’t
equal the message received!

7. Common Conversational Rituals
 Feminine—Ritual  Masculine –Ritual
Apology Opposition
 ―I’m sorry‖ used as a  Playing the role of the
conversational smoother. ―devil’s advocate‖ to
(not an actual apology!) probe the other speaker’s
thought process.
 May misfire and can be
perceived as weak by a  May misfire when
masculine speaker. perceived as a challenge
or rejection of the other
speaker.

8. More Conversation Rituals
 Small Talk—is a
 Exchanging conversation smoother
Compliments—can be a  Rapport talk is the sharing
ritual for feminine speakers of information about
relationships.
 Report talk is the sharing
 A misfire can occur when
of factual or statistical
masculine speakers don’t information.
reciprocate with another  Can misfire if the other
compliment. speaker perceives the small
talk as being either too
personal or too impersonal.

9. Discussion question:
WOULD YOU CONSIDER YOURSELF TO BE MORE
OF A MASCULINE OR FEMININE STYLE
SPEAKER?
HOW IS UNDERSTANDING THE DIFFERENCE
I M P O R T A N T T O B E I N G F L E X I B L E I N T H E 2 1 ST
CENTURY WORKPLACE?