Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus

Ch. 7 p. 204 address gender differences at work and the differences in communication styles between many men and women. “Report talk” vs. “rapport talk” is a great illustration of some fundamental differences in the way in which men and women communicate. What really struck me about this section however is the book’s premise that much of these communication styles are learned behaviors – gendered socialization- shaped by society.

There is certainly a lot to be said about the different ways in which men and women tend to communicate. I have worked with women who take on a more aggressive communication style (“report style”) and get unfairly labeled as being a “hard-ass” or other such terms (use your imagination!). Reciprocally, I have also seen men who may take on more “rapport styles” of communication and get labeled a push-over.

While there are undeniable differences between the sexes, what is learned behavior vs. “natural” is still very much up for debate.