Dorothy Dix once said, “The reason husbands and wives do not understand each other is because they belong to different sexes.” I have no idea who Dorothy Dix was, but I think she got it right. Because Dorothy uttered these words sometime before her death in 1951, her comment pertained to the relationship between the sexes at home. However, subsequent research has indicated that the sentiment holds true for men and women in the workplace as well.

The above-mentioned research has revealed that the differences between men and women are apparent in the way we communicate:

• Men “report-talk” while women “rapport-talk”
• Men think silently while women think out loud
• Men are quiet listeners while women are verbal listeners
• Men are direct while women are indirect
• Men’s conversations are impersonal while women’s are very personal
• Men quickly get to the point while women go into detail
• Men joke with others to show their affection while women compliment others to show their affection
• Men hear whether you respect them while women hear whether you like them
• Etc.

Example of gender communication in real life:

Women's version:

Woman2: Oh! You got a haircut! That's so cute!

Woman1: Do you think so? I wasn't sure when she gave me the mirror. I mean, you don't think it's too fluffy looking?

Woman2: No! It's perfect. I'd love to get my hair cut like that, but I think my face is too wide. I'm pretty much stuck with this stuff I think.

Woman1: Are you serious? I think your face is adorable. And you could easily get one of those layer cuts - that would look so cute I think. I was actually going to do that except that I was afraid it would accent my long neck.

Woman2: Oh - that's funny! I would love to have your neck! Anything to take attention away from this two-by-four I have for a shoulder line.

Woman1: Are you kidding? I know girls that would love to have your shoulders. Everything drapes so well on you. I mean, look at my arms - see how short they are? If I had your shoulders I could get clothes to fit me so much easier.

Men's version:

Man2: Haircut?

Man1: Yeah.

The difference in the way we communicate is humorous, but it also causes misunderstandings, frustration, and hurt feelings. So, when communicating with the opposite sex, remember that patience, humor, and understanding go a long way in helping to bridge the gender communication gap.