When it comes to gender-based differences in styles of communications, it is fair to say that there are common generalizations that apply to both sides. Of course, this does not mean that everyone will fall under these assumptions. They simply give some of the most common discrepancies between the ways that males and females speak. So, what would be the most obvious examples?
Related Resource: Top 20 Best Online Communications Degree Programs
Different Utilization of Non-Verbal Cues
The way that men and women use non-verbal cues when communication is seldom similar. In the case of male speakers, there is a limited range of facial expressions accompanied by a larger area of personal space. They also frequently use broad gesturing that may not be extremely smooth. Women tend to employ a lot of facial expressions while limiting their gestures to a very close range. This allows them to increase proximity and reduce the personal space between them and the other party. Not to mention that their gestures are a lot smoother and natural-looking. The main cause of such approaches goes back to the feeling of safety. For women, keeping hands close to the body and showcasing clear emotions helps feel safer while discussing ideas with others. Men do not pay as much attention to safety concerns as they over-gesture without truly expressing tangible emotions.
Expectations
In terms of how men and women expect to end a conversation, there is another very notable difference that helps distinguish their communication styles. For women, speaking is viewed as a tool that helps attain explicit solutions. That means that they usually expect to hear exactly how someone will resolve a certain problem. Men are much less formal with their expectations. In fact, a simple head nod can be often enough to end a discussion and showcase approval. They also have a much more common tendency to use lack of clear-cut responses as an implicit endorsement. While doing so can cause many issues, most males have such a great understanding of their communication expectations that the obvious lack of explicit conclusion does not constitute a problem.
On-Going Thought Process
When people say that women are much more emotional and lack the rational thinking of men, they are perpetuating an incorrect stereotype. This applies to all forms of speaking as well. The fact that females leverage their empathetic listening skills much more than males does not mean that their rational thinking will take a backseat. The only way to properly describe this difference is to say that the speakers’ priorities and on-going thought processes vary with their gender. For instance, a man who is trying to resolve a crisis will usually focus all of their attention and efforts on finding a solution. If a woman finds herself in such a situation, according to Forbes, she may split her attention between sympathy and problem-solving efforts. Regardless, both sides are equally capable of figuring out the best course of action. The fact that one of them employs emotions a bit more does not undermine them as a critical thinker.
Not a Perfect World
As said, things described here would only be true for everyone in a perfect world. Since that is not the case, it is not uncommon to see speakers who may have characteristics of both sides. In fact, the best styles of communications are those that acknowledge gender-based differences and select the best attributes from each group.