Analysis of Communication and Gendered Communication in Leadership

This report delves into the distinctions between communication and gendered communication, highlighting the influence of gender on communication styles in both personal and professional spheres. It examines how gender roles, as shaped by societal constructs, impact communication patterns, including verbal and non-verbal cues. The analysis explores the cognitive development theory and performative theory to understand how gender socialization influences behavior and communication methods. The report investigates the impact of gendered communication on workplace dynamics, focusing on differences in communication styles between men and women and their effects on team interactions, leadership approaches, and overall organizational effectiveness. Real-life examples from personal experiences, such as workplace observations and social events, illustrate these communication differences. The report concludes by emphasizing the importance of understanding and adapting to these gendered communication styles to improve leadership effectiveness and foster successful interactions in various settings.

Running head: COMMUNICATION AND GENDERED COMMUNICATION
COMMUNICATION AND GENDERED COMMUNICATION
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1COMMUNICATION AND GENDERED COMMUNICATION
Introduction
Gendered communication refers to the interaction about and among men and women.
The aspect of gender has been included in communication to address the distinctions in the
behavioral and linguistic styles of interactions used by the two sexes. Moreover, recent
developments in the study of gender conceptions have identified the importance of effective
communication between men and women in the personal as well as the professional front.
The study will analyze the difference between communication and gendered communication,
and the influence of gender on communication as a whole. Moreover, the differences in the
communication styles of men and women in their professional workplace have also been
analyzed to evaluate the impact of gendered communication on workplace communication.
Examples of differences in communication styles in personal and professional life shows how
gender affects communication patterns. In conclusion, it has been mentioned how gender
roles form the basis of efficient communication.
Discussion
Difference between communication and gendered communication
Communication refers to conveying meaning for the purpose of sharing information
from one entity to another. Various means can be utilized in communication, including
verbal, written, or other means. Gendered communication is a field of communication that
specializes in how people as gendered individuals communicate. Communication is an
important aspect of survival both in the personal life and in the professional life. The
differences in communication based on gender is the result of the modern age where men and
women have diversified roles in the society. According to the Performative theory, gender
based communication involves an expression of identity. Judith Butler’s ideology on gender-

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based communication was that expression of this identity was more dependent on what an
individual does than what an individual is (Allen, 2018).
Influence of gender on communication
Gender constructions in the society have developed specific gender roles that are
maintained by individuals in terms of their behavior and means of communication. The
Cognitive Development Theory suggests that individuals start following the established
gender models from a tender age, thereby resulting in the formation of distinct behavioral
patterns and forms of communication (Grusec & Hastings, 2014). In this aspect, men and
women have different methods and abilities of communication. The impact of gender on
communication has led to the rise of distinctions in words, emotional expression, tonal voice
and body language among men and women, owing to their predominant socio-psychological
positions in the society (Lehn & Gibson, 2011). Men are generally perceived as having a
communication style that is succinct, direct and instrumental. On the other hand, women are
perceived as having a communication style that is capable of empathizing and connecting. In
this respect, men communicate in workplaces in the form of orders to subordinates with a
tendency to manage activities. The directness of male behavior allows them to communicate
their thoughts in a matter-of-fact way. However, the empathetic nature of women makes their
speech subtle with softened demands and a cautious style of communication. Male
communication is oriented towards problem-solving, which allows the employees to
associate in teams for efficient risk management. On the contrary, female communication
style is oriented towards community building, thereby allowing the integration of diverse
cultures in the workplace.
Impact of gendered communication on workplace communication
In the age of globalization, men and women belonging from diverse cultures are
require interpersonal communication to carry out organizational operations (Heath & Bryant,

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2013). According to the Symbolic Interaction Theory, the norms and customs of gender
socialization is observed in the workplace (Roeckelein, 2006). Gender socialization defines
certain stylistic differences in the behavior and communication patterns between men and
women. These differences in the style of communication between men and women influences
the workplace communication. Men are more focused on a direct reporting form of
communication while women are generally focused on rapport build form of communication.
For this reason, there are differences in the way men and women communicate with their
team members, subordinates or leaders in the workplace (Giles, 2016). Workplace
communication entails the integration of employees and leaders to fulfill the objectives of the
organization. For this purpose, women tend to indulge in non-verbal forms communication
that aids in relationship building among the employees and other stakeholders. Moreover,
they also present an egalitarian form of leadership, thereby adapting to the opinions and
changing corporate requirements (Mendez & Busenbark, 2015). On the other hand, men
display a hierarchical leadership style that is focused on the performance of the employees
and the organization at large, with a proficiency in direct communication
(Simmalieberman.com, 2019). Thus, masculine form of communication affects workplace
communication by motivating employees to reach individual and organizational targets.
However, feminine form of communication is empathetic towards the needs of the employees
and engages in discussions to harmonize the organizational community into an intrinsic
whole.
Difference of communication styles in personal and professional environments
I could locate an example of gendered communication from my personal experience
of an internship at a firm that employed both male and female workers. In a particular
instance, our leader assigned a team to plan a project for our organization. The female
employees in the team were adept at non-verbal forms of communication by maintaining

4COMMUNICATION AND GENDERED COMMUNICATION
professional gestures like nodding when the leader gave us instructions. Moreover, they also
formed groups among themselves to execute the tasks assigned to them. The male employees
including myself were more engaged in planning the course of the project and assigning tasks
to other members. In professional environments, the effect of gendered communication helps
in utilizing the skills of each employee through different communication styles. The male
communication style is direct and formal in the form of orders and task allocations.
Contrarily, female communication engages in community building for simplification of task
execution. This means that the non-verbal style of communication used by the female
employees is used to display attentiveness, thereby attempting at building relationships.
However, on the other hand the ordering and planning activities of the male employees shows
a communication style that is direct and management oriented.
On a personal ground the differences in styles of communication could be located by
me during the organization of a birthday party for one of my friends. The girls in the friends
circle wished our friend in an elaborate and emotional way through a comprehensive account
of their experiences of friendship with the person. However, the boys wished the friend in a
frank and direct manner through a short speech. The girls also engaged in decorations,
depicting non-verbal communication. Whereas, the boys were engaged in preparing the list of
monetary contributions to be made by all the friends for the event. Personal communication
styles differ among men and women as women show emotions and engagement in their
communication style, whereas men restrain from emotional displays in their communication
through direct and precise form of speech. Furthermore, it can be deduced that the elaborate
communicative style of the females is oriented towards community building and sharing
emotions in a transparent manner. However, the short and direct conversational style of the
males shows a factual style that is management oriented.

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Conclusion
The above analysis deduces that gendered communication depicts distinctions in
styles of communication, be it oral, written or non-verbal. In an organizational structure, all
male and female employees must interact with each other in a manner that fulfills the goals
and objectives of the firm. Effective communication involving planning, leading, organizing
and controlling, is undertaken by both males and females to ensure the profitability of an
organization. In a personal ground also, gender roles form the basis of efficient
communication.

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References
Allen, A. (2018). The power of feminist theory. Routledge.
Giles, H. (2016). Communication accommodation theory. The International Encyclopedia of
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Grusec, J. E., & Hastings, P. D. (Eds.). (2014). Handbook of socialization: Theory and
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Heath, R. L., & Bryant, J. (2013). Human communication theory and research: Concepts,
contexts, and challenges. Routledge.
Lehn, D. V., & Gibson, W. (2011). Interaction and symbolic interactionism. Symbolic
Interaction, 34(3), 315-318.
Mendez, M. J., & Busenbark, J. R. (2015). Shared leadership and gender: all members are
equal… but some more than others. Leadership & Organization Development
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Roeckelein, J. E. (Ed.). (2006). Elsevier's dictionary of psychological theories. Elsevier.
Simmalieberman.com. (2019). Differences in Male and Female Communication Styles -
Simma Lieberman. Retrieved 13 August 2019, from
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