Introduction
It’s very common to observe men and women at the workplace getting tied up in confrontation or communication knots particularly over issues that involve advocacy, authority and management of teams. The reason for this is speculated to be due to the fact that each sex has distinct ways of communication. Men and women request activities and advice in different ways. The verbal reaction and timing are also thought to be very different making the whole style of expression at the workplace very distinct. The consequence of this can be miscues and misinterpretations.
Men and Women Communicate Differently
Basically, there are three things that indicate the different ways women and men communicate. They are; the way of thinking, the way of speaking and decision making. Men are said to be compartmental thinkers while women’s thinking is global. Men are likely to be emotionally separate and keep their information in a very ordered manner like the use of file cabinets (Fiona, 2007). Other things like hobbies, social life, work and family are kept differently. Women on the other hand view things with connection and take life events globally. They focus on details and how the information interrelates (Goodall, Goodall & Schiefelbein, 2009, p. 34). This is why they can bring up something that took place years ago during an argument.
Speaking is evidently distinct as men speak to communicate facts briefly and straight to the point. They include little details. They begin with headlines and elaborate on them (Hodgetts, & Hegar, 2007, p. 65). They are more single-minded. Women on the other hand are multi-minded and want to build up the bottom-line since they like narrating it like a story (Fiona, 2007, par. 3). This can be a frustration for men and can even precipitate disagreement (Goodall, et al 2009). Men believe that the best way of telling out the facts is to evade muddying details which are considered time-wasting. Women however print their big picture with complexity meaning that they have to understand almost everything.
Decision-making is also very different. Women are used to hinting when inquiring about something they need. Unfortunately, men never get the hints since they take language plainly and concentrate on context rather than deeper meaning. While women like expressing their feelings, Men focus on facts and avoid emotions (Fiona, 2007, par. 5).
Communication makes a Difference in the Workplace
The way people communicate at workplaces based on different sexes is of great impact. Men and women give orders, behave and manage a team in different ways. Men are more direct when ordering things around the office while women are soft when making demands and tend to use tagged phrases (Goodall, et al, 2009, p. 36). As women may not intend to appear timid, men’s perception can be wrong. However, experts affirm that the way women communicate is well-suited for headship (Fiona, 2007, par. 6). Since businesses are areas set for making profits and earning a living, communication knots can adversely affect these and other organizational goals. Being able to understand the differences that exist between men’s and women’s ways of thinking, decision making and speaking is very important. This can greatly improve the personal relations at workplaces which would, in turn, translate to highly productive workforce. This is also an indicator of gender sensitivity and appreciation of sex diversity (Hodgetts & Hegar, 2007, p. 67).
Conclusion
Since it’s quite evident that men interpret and interrelate in different ways women do, being able to adjust when communicating with different people is of utmost significance. It enables create stability at the workplace and also enhances the durability of relationships.
Reference
Fiona S. (2007). Gender, Communication at Workplace. An Exploratory Research. Web.
Goodall S., Goodall, H. L. & Schiefelbein, J. (2009). Professional and Business. Communication in the Global Workplace. Boston, MA: Cengage Learning
Hodgetts, R. M., & Hegar, K. W., (2007). Contemporary Human Relationships in Workplaces. Mason, OH: Cengage Learning.