Have you ever noticed the variations in the way men and women communicate? "It's one of the mysteries of life why men and women, speaking the same language, have difficulty communicating with each other " (Balanced Living, 1992). There has been a great deal of study and research in this area of communications. Such study prompted Dr. John Gray to write, "Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus." This book studies and helps the reader to understand differences in the way the genders communicate, and offers advice for interpreting the language spoken by the opposite sex. .
When one considers that relationships take place outside the home, it is important to look at the ways men and women communicate differently in the workplace and how these communication issues impact their effectiveness in management and the way they are perceived by their supervisors and employees. According to author, John Gray, in his subsequent book, Mars & Venus in the Workplace:.
Nowhere in the workplace do our differences show up more dramatically than in the area of communication. Not only are men and women from different planets, speaking different languages, but they don't realize it; they think they are speaking the same language. Although the words are the same the meaning can be completely different. The same expression can easily have a different connotation or emotional emphasis. Misinterpretation is so common and consistent that eventually we develop limiting perspectives of each other (Gray, 2002) .
Dr. Gray further explains how this communication difference causes men and women to form incorrect assumptions about each other, thus restricting their ability to trust the other (Gray, 2002).
Because of the preconceived notions of men being strong and dependable and women being submissive and emotional, employers and employees come to expect certain communication behaviors of each of the sexes. "All employees want bosses who are knowledgeable, competent and attentive.