Do you wonder, how can there be so many differences among the same species? Males and females vary in sexes. But the fact that they are completely different in the way of communication is as shocking as the fact of the existence of aliens.
The difference between male and female communication is the reason why workplaces have unnecessaries but mostly lethal disputes and concerns. There is no doubt that these disputes can cause a great loss to the organizations because a single flaw can give rise to a big problem.
People are actively looking for a solution. As Google’s top keywords in the communication topic are, “Gender Difference in Communication” and “Gender difference communication workplace”. So, are there any ways to solve the communication barrier?
Difference and Similarities in Male and Female
Before proceeding towards the solution, we need to know the male and female communication styles in the workplace. These points will help you to understand the gender difference in communication.
Difference Between Male and Female Speech
- Body Language
Let us start with the basics. We all have observed at least once the difference in the body language of males and females. It is because of the fundamental purposes of their postures. The male always tends to show the power and authority in front of others. Whereas females always want to be friendly and kind-hearted, to ensure this they usually are talkative and helpful.
- Voice
It is the most common point that males and females differ in vocal ranges. The voice of a female is generally low and shrink, on the other hand, the male’s voice is louder and deeper.
Do you know how this simple factor creates confusion? Females can use five different voice nodes, depending on the emotions. Here, a confusion arises, as the majority of males use a single deep voice in every situation, to resemble his power.
- Eye Contact towards Similar Sex
It might sound funny, but the purpose of making eye contact for males and animals are the same. It generally means, they are challenging or bragging their power of authority or position. Females, on the other hand, develops a sense of relationship and love by creating eye contact.
Strength and Weakness of Respective Sex
These traits of communication bring various types of strengths and weaknesses, according to gender difference communication. You should work on your communication skills, according to the strengths and weaknesses mentioned below.
Strengths of a Female
- Excellent non-verbal skills
Women are simply awesome when it comes to non-verbal communications. A woman is a keen observer that makes her pay attention in small details. This is the area where they are far better than males.
- Emphatic
As mentioned earlier, women always tend to be polite and friendly. Empathy helps you to know about a person’s feelings and situation. To make these characters easily visible, empathy becomes the primary need for this.
Weaknesses of a Female
- Complicates the Conversion
This is the most irrational factor, which almost every man hates about women. The lack of concreteness in a conversation creates, confusion, and ruins the bond with another person. The worst thing is, the cooperative world strictly restricts this trait.
- Too many Emotions
Being emphatic, females usually become over-emotional. As a female, to be good at communication, you should recognize the point where you feel like a flood of emotion is about to begin!
Strengths of a Male
- Leadership Trait
The habit of signifying power and authority makes a male suitable to be a leader of the group. The common traits of leadership quality are- quick decision takers, and able to engage with others. The possession of power fulfills these traits.
- Concrete Communication
The lack of emotions helps a male, to present his idea directly and straight forward to others. This is the main reason why disputes occur, as mentioned earlier females are opposite in this situation
Weaknesses of a Male
- Insensitive
Males have always issues with their cold and blunt responses to others. The lack of emotions makes them insensitive, and as a result, he can’t understands the problems of others. This gives rise to misconceptions and disbelief within a team.
- Overconfidence
This is the most negative point among males. Often, Showing authority and power makes a person overconfident.
How to Ensure Effective Communication
Here comes the main point, that you are desperately looking for. Till now we have seen that all the weaknesses occur due to the unbalance of a particular trait. The key is to make a perfect balance. Some of the best practices for effective communication are-
- 7 C’s of Communication
This rule is considered as the golden rule of communication. This can be used in any type of communication, that is both formal and informal.
The 7 C’s are- Completeness, Courtesy, Correctness, Concreteness, Consideration, Conciseness, and Creativity.
From next time, just make sure you are following this rule while communicating with others.
- Increase your Listening Capability
Note, there is a lot of difference between ‘hearing’ and ‘listening’. Hearing just includes that you have heard the voice of someone. Listening implies to understand the message of what the person is trying to say. Half of the effective communication took place by effective listening.
- Understand the Audience
Your audience wants to listen to you, because of their interests. The moment you pick your interest in communication, the audience will lose interest from you. This is why you make friends with similar interests. Unfortunately, you can’t choose people in your workplace.
Conclusion
The communication is like blood for any organization. The way blood flows inside our body, similarly, the communication works for the better functioning of the organization. The workplace is a combination of both males and females. With this, you will have to deal with both male and female communication styles in the workplace. You need to observe the balance between every trait. Improving communication skills will lead you to career advancement.
