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Friday, June 26, 2009
Gender Communication Differences
From Chapter 7 entitled Identity and Difference in Organizational Life in the sub section Frame 1: Gender Differences at Work on pages 204 to 206 the authors support the case that men engage in report talk and women in rapport talk. Men use a style that emphasizes demonstrations of skills, commanding, direct, assertiveness etc, while women use a style that emphasizes experiences, support, listening, tentativeness, and personal relationships. Women are incredibly different when it comes to communicating in the workplace and it does not always mesh. My boss and I have a hard time communicating a lot of the time; however, I have learned to work around his lack of communication skills. He expects me to know dates and times without telling me about them so I have had to go around him to figure out important information I need to know. I do feel that men focus more on status and power then women who prefer to focus on personal relationships and a lot of them really care about what people think of them. The lack of communication between men and women is fun though; they can never figure us out!
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I also thought this section of the chapter was interesting. I couldn't quite figure out if it was basing it's info on today's world or that of the 1980's when women were first starting to become powerful in the work world. Yes, society has pinned it so men seem stronger than women just because there are less emotional factors they, generally, have to deal with...but, by all means, common sense would tell anyone that would make us women stronger...lol. Eghem... the "lack" of communication is what bugs me out too when I am at work, or even talking to my boyfriend sometmes! But I have figured out that one must find that happy medium, whether at work or at home, and understand one another "communication styles," as stated somewhere in chapter 7 of our book.
ReplyDeleteHallie, I like your comment on gender communication at work. From a man's perspective maybe your boss is opening the door for you to demonstrate your expert knowledge. Maybe he doesn't want to assert "conversational command" in a sense where it would be seem demeaning if he makes sure you know the information, because I don't think any lacks communication skills. If he's not saying something he's communicating something else. Or maybe he's just lazy. I think the section is very insightful that men engage in more report talk while women rapport talk, probably why the book is so famous. I think, especially, in organizations man put on the role of problem solver. Feeling and relationship building is second to the dilemma at hand most times...
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