{"id":775,"date":"2019-04-22T18:30:45","date_gmt":"2019-04-22T18:30:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/wm-organizationalbehavior\/?post_type=chapter&#038;p=775"},"modified":"2024-04-24T22:55:16","modified_gmt":"2024-04-24T22:55:16","slug":"gender-diversity","status":"publish","type":"chapter","link":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/wm-organizationalbehavior\/chapter\/gender-diversity\/","title":{"raw":"Gender Diversity","rendered":"Gender Diversity"},"content":{"raw":"<div class=\"textbox learning-objectives\">\r\n<h3>Learning Outcomes<\/h3>\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li>Discuss the benefits and challenges of gender diversity in the workplace<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<img class=\"alignright wp-image-781\" src=\"https:\/\/s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com\/courses-images\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4052\/2019\/04\/22183848\/alexis-brown-85793-unsplash.jpg\" alt=\"a man and two women\" width=\"400\" height=\"267\" \/>What\u2019s in a chromosome (or two)? The difference in the pair of sex chromosomes determines whether a child is female (XX) or male (XY) at birth has a significant impact on the individual\u2019s personal and professional development. It is not biology that affects our experience and expectations in the workplace (as some who would justify gender inequality would propose), but socialization, an accumulation of cultural, historical, and legal precedent that has created the gender divide in our society.\r\n\r\nAccording to the Brookings Institution, women\u2019s labor force participation has reversed since 2000 and \u201clarge gaps remain between men and women in employment rates, the jobs they hold, the wages they earn, and their overall economic security.\u201d This is not just a women\u2019s issue. In a publication from the Hamilton Project at Brookings, the authors conclude that \u201cbarriers to workforce participation for women are stifling the growth of the U.S. economy, and that future economic success hinges on improving career prospects and working environments for all women.\u201d[footnote]Burke, Alison. \"<a href=\"https:\/\/www.brookings.edu\/blog\/brookings-now\/2017\/12\/05\/10-facts-about-american-women-in-the-workforce\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">10 facts about American women in the workforce<\/a>.\"\u00a0<em>Brookings<\/em>, 05 Dec 2017. Web. 26 June 2018.[\/footnote]\r\n\r\nOver the years, gendered terms (for example, \u201cmen\u201d) have come to be interpreted more broadly; that is, as referring to both men and women, but the language is hardly inclusive. Indeed, the concept of gender as binary\u2014that is, either female or male\u2014may itself be an anachronism. As the traditional ideas of gender and gender identity are evolving and in order to adapt to a changing reality, the language and operating framework must change accordingly.\r\n<h2>Are There Differences in Gender Communication?<\/h2>\r\nStarting in childhood, girls and boys are generally socialized to belong to distinct cultures based on their gender and thus speak in ways particular to their own gender\u2019s rules and norms (Fivush; Hohnson; Tannen). This pattern of gendered socialization continues throughout our lives. As a result, men and women often interpret the same conversation differently. Culturally diverse ways of speaking based on gender can cause miscommunication between members of each culture or speech community. These cultural differences are seen in the simple purpose of communication.\r\n\r\nAlthough gender roles are changing, and gender itself is becoming a more fluid concept, traditional roles still influence our communication behaviors.\u00a0For those socialized to traditional female gender norms, an important purpose of communication is to create and foster relational connections with other people (Johnson; Stamou). In contrast, the goal of men\u2019s communication is primarily to establish identity. This is accomplished by demonstrating independence and control and entertaining or performing for others.\r\n\r\nDeborah Tannen, professor of linguistics and the author of multiple books on gender and language, provides the following examples of differences in men\u2019s and women\u2019s communication:[footnote]Bucher, Richard D.\u00a0<i>Diversity Consciousness Opening Our Minds to People, Cultures, and Opportunities<\/i>. Pearson, 2015, p 130.[\/footnote]\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li>\u201cMen engage in report talk, women in rapport talk.\u201d\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li>Report talk is used to demonstrate one\u2019s knowledge and expertise.<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Rapport talk is used to share and cultivate relationships.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Women request; men direct.\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li>For example, in communicating a request, a female manager might say: \u201cCould you do this by 5 PM?\u201d A male manager would typically phrase it: \u201cThis needs to be done by 5 PM.\u201d<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Women are information focused; men are image focused.\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li>For example, women are willing to ask questions to clarify understanding. Men tend to avoid asking clarifying questions in order to preserve their reputation.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Empathy is not apology.\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li>Women often use the phrase \u201cI\u2019m sorry\u201d to express concern or empathy. Men tend to interpret this phrase as an acceptance of responsibility for the situation, which it is not.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Women are judged by their appearance; men are judged by what they say and do.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\nAs in all things, it\u2019s important to remember that while these differences exist between groups, all individuals will fall somewhere along a spectrum of these tendencies. Additionally, you may run into men who demonstrate more \u201cfeminine\u201d tendencies in their speech or vice versa.\r\n<div class=\"textbox examples\">\r\n<h3>JAMES DAMORE<\/h3>\r\nWe see this struggle playing out at Google, where efforts to include more women in technical roles are meeting with some resistance. The conflict surfaced when James Damore, a white male engineer, posted a ten page critique of Google\u2019s diversity efforts titled \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/www.documentcloud.org\/documents\/3914586-Googles-Ideological-Echo-Chamber.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Google\u2019s Ideological Echo Chamber\u201d<\/a>\u00a0on an internal discussion board. One of the most inflammatory points made was that \u201cbiological differences between men and women might explain why we don\u2019t see equal representation of women in tech and leadership.\u201d In his memo, Damore states his belief that women are better attuned to aesthetics and people rather than ideas and that this, as well as their \u201chigher agreeableness\u201d (versus aggressiveness) and \u201cneuroticism,\u201d rather than sexism accounts for gender gaps. The \u201cmanifesto,\u201d as some call it, resulted in Damore being fired for violating Google\u2019s code of conduct by \u201cadvancing harmful gender stereotypes in our workplace.\u201d\r\n\r\nGoogle CEO Sundar Pichai responded to the memo in a\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.blog.google\/topics\/diversity\/note-employees-ceo-sundar-pichai\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">note to employees<\/a>, which includes this excerpt: \u201cTo suggest a group of our colleagues have traits that make them less biologically suited to that work is offensive and not OK. It is contrary to our basic values and our Code of Conduct, which expects \u2018each Googler to do their utmost to create a workplace culture that is free of harassment, intimidation, bias and unlawful discrimination.\u2019\u201d\r\n\r\nIn a development that reflects the nation\u2019s sociopolitical polarization, it appears Damore\u2019s firing, rather than ending the issue, has turned him into what a\u00a0<em>USA Today<\/em>\u00a0writer terms a \u201chero of a resurgent conservative movement.\u201d Damore has since\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.cnet.com\/news\/james-damore-sues-google-for-discriminating-against-white-men\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">filed a lawsuit against Google<\/a>, claiming the search giant discriminates against white, conservative men. In a development worth watching, Damore and David Gudeman, another former Google engineer, are being represented by Harmeet Dhillon, the Republican National Committee\u2019s committeewoman for California. Her law firm is seeking class action status for the plaintiffs.\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<div class=\"textbox tryit\">\r\n<h3>PRactice Question<\/h3>\r\nhttps:\/\/assess.lumenlearning.com\/practice\/bc2acde1-eab3-4019-b896-1761eb735a35\r\n<\/div>","rendered":"<div class=\"textbox learning-objectives\">\n<h3>Learning Outcomes<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>Discuss the benefits and challenges of gender diversity in the workplace<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright wp-image-781\" src=\"https:\/\/s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com\/courses-images\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4052\/2019\/04\/22183848\/alexis-brown-85793-unsplash.jpg\" alt=\"a man and two women\" width=\"400\" height=\"267\" \/>What\u2019s in a chromosome (or two)? The difference in the pair of sex chromosomes determines whether a child is female (XX) or male (XY) at birth has a significant impact on the individual\u2019s personal and professional development. It is not biology that affects our experience and expectations in the workplace (as some who would justify gender inequality would propose), but socialization, an accumulation of cultural, historical, and legal precedent that has created the gender divide in our society.<\/p>\n<p>According to the Brookings Institution, women\u2019s labor force participation has reversed since 2000 and \u201clarge gaps remain between men and women in employment rates, the jobs they hold, the wages they earn, and their overall economic security.\u201d This is not just a women\u2019s issue. In a publication from the Hamilton Project at Brookings, the authors conclude that \u201cbarriers to workforce participation for women are stifling the growth of the U.S. economy, and that future economic success hinges on improving career prospects and working environments for all women.\u201d<a class=\"footnote\" title=\"Burke, Alison. &quot;10 facts about American women in the workforce.&quot;\u00a0Brookings, 05 Dec 2017. Web. 26 June 2018.\" id=\"return-footnote-775-1\" href=\"#footnote-775-1\" aria-label=\"Footnote 1\"><sup class=\"footnote\">[1]<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Over the years, gendered terms (for example, \u201cmen\u201d) have come to be interpreted more broadly; that is, as referring to both men and women, but the language is hardly inclusive. Indeed, the concept of gender as binary\u2014that is, either female or male\u2014may itself be an anachronism. As the traditional ideas of gender and gender identity are evolving and in order to adapt to a changing reality, the language and operating framework must change accordingly.<\/p>\n<h2>Are There Differences in Gender Communication?<\/h2>\n<p>Starting in childhood, girls and boys are generally socialized to belong to distinct cultures based on their gender and thus speak in ways particular to their own gender\u2019s rules and norms (Fivush; Hohnson; Tannen). This pattern of gendered socialization continues throughout our lives. As a result, men and women often interpret the same conversation differently. Culturally diverse ways of speaking based on gender can cause miscommunication between members of each culture or speech community. These cultural differences are seen in the simple purpose of communication.<\/p>\n<p>Although gender roles are changing, and gender itself is becoming a more fluid concept, traditional roles still influence our communication behaviors.\u00a0For those socialized to traditional female gender norms, an important purpose of communication is to create and foster relational connections with other people (Johnson; Stamou). In contrast, the goal of men\u2019s communication is primarily to establish identity. This is accomplished by demonstrating independence and control and entertaining or performing for others.<\/p>\n<p>Deborah Tannen, professor of linguistics and the author of multiple books on gender and language, provides the following examples of differences in men\u2019s and women\u2019s communication:<a class=\"footnote\" title=\"Bucher, Richard D.\u00a0Diversity Consciousness Opening Our Minds to People, Cultures, and Opportunities. Pearson, 2015, p 130.\" id=\"return-footnote-775-2\" href=\"#footnote-775-2\" aria-label=\"Footnote 2\"><sup class=\"footnote\">[2]<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\u201cMen engage in report talk, women in rapport talk.\u201d\n<ul>\n<li>Report talk is used to demonstrate one\u2019s knowledge and expertise.<\/li>\n<li>Rapport talk is used to share and cultivate relationships.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li>Women request; men direct.\n<ul>\n<li>For example, in communicating a request, a female manager might say: \u201cCould you do this by 5 PM?\u201d A male manager would typically phrase it: \u201cThis needs to be done by 5 PM.\u201d<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li>Women are information focused; men are image focused.\n<ul>\n<li>For example, women are willing to ask questions to clarify understanding. Men tend to avoid asking clarifying questions in order to preserve their reputation.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li>Empathy is not apology.\n<ul>\n<li>Women often use the phrase \u201cI\u2019m sorry\u201d to express concern or empathy. Men tend to interpret this phrase as an acceptance of responsibility for the situation, which it is not.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li>Women are judged by their appearance; men are judged by what they say and do.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>As in all things, it\u2019s important to remember that while these differences exist between groups, all individuals will fall somewhere along a spectrum of these tendencies. Additionally, you may run into men who demonstrate more \u201cfeminine\u201d tendencies in their speech or vice versa.<\/p>\n<div class=\"textbox examples\">\n<h3>JAMES DAMORE<\/h3>\n<p>We see this struggle playing out at Google, where efforts to include more women in technical roles are meeting with some resistance. The conflict surfaced when James Damore, a white male engineer, posted a ten page critique of Google\u2019s diversity efforts titled \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/www.documentcloud.org\/documents\/3914586-Googles-Ideological-Echo-Chamber.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Google\u2019s Ideological Echo Chamber\u201d<\/a>\u00a0on an internal discussion board. One of the most inflammatory points made was that \u201cbiological differences between men and women might explain why we don\u2019t see equal representation of women in tech and leadership.\u201d In his memo, Damore states his belief that women are better attuned to aesthetics and people rather than ideas and that this, as well as their \u201chigher agreeableness\u201d (versus aggressiveness) and \u201cneuroticism,\u201d rather than sexism accounts for gender gaps. The \u201cmanifesto,\u201d as some call it, resulted in Damore being fired for violating Google\u2019s code of conduct by \u201cadvancing harmful gender stereotypes in our workplace.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Google CEO Sundar Pichai responded to the memo in a\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.blog.google\/topics\/diversity\/note-employees-ceo-sundar-pichai\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">note to employees<\/a>, which includes this excerpt: \u201cTo suggest a group of our colleagues have traits that make them less biologically suited to that work is offensive and not OK. It is contrary to our basic values and our Code of Conduct, which expects \u2018each Googler to do their utmost to create a workplace culture that is free of harassment, intimidation, bias and unlawful discrimination.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n<p>In a development that reflects the nation\u2019s sociopolitical polarization, it appears Damore\u2019s firing, rather than ending the issue, has turned him into what a\u00a0<em>USA Today<\/em>\u00a0writer terms a \u201chero of a resurgent conservative movement.\u201d Damore has since\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.cnet.com\/news\/james-damore-sues-google-for-discriminating-against-white-men\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">filed a lawsuit against Google<\/a>, claiming the search giant discriminates against white, conservative men. In a development worth watching, Damore and David Gudeman, another former Google engineer, are being represented by Harmeet Dhillon, the Republican National Committee\u2019s committeewoman for California. Her law firm is seeking class action status for the plaintiffs.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"textbox tryit\">\n<h3>PRactice Question<\/h3>\n<p>\t<iframe id=\"assessment_practice_bc2acde1-eab3-4019-b896-1761eb735a35\" class=\"resizable\" src=\"https:\/\/assess.lumenlearning.com\/practice\/bc2acde1-eab3-4019-b896-1761eb735a35?iframe_resize_id=assessment_practice_id_bc2acde1-eab3-4019-b896-1761eb735a35\" frameborder=\"0\" style=\"border:none;width:100%;height:100%;min-height:300px;\"><br \/>\n\t<\/iframe>\n<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t <section class=\"citations-section\" role=\"contentinfo\">\n\t\t\t <h3>Candela Citations<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t <div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t <div id=\"citation-list-775\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t <div class=\"licensing\"><div class=\"license-attribution-dropdown-subheading\">CC licensed content, Shared previously<\/div><ul class=\"citation-list\"><li>Working across Genders. <strong>Authored by<\/strong>: Nina Burokas. <strong>Provided by<\/strong>: Lumen Learning. <strong>Located at<\/strong>: <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/wmopen-businesscommunicationmgrs\/chapter\/working-across-genders\/#footnote-3267-1\">https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/wmopen-businesscommunicationmgrs\/chapter\/working-across-genders\/#footnote-3267-1<\/a>. <strong>License<\/strong>: <em><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"license\" href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/\">CC BY: Attribution<\/a><\/em><\/li><li>Survey of Communication Study. <strong>Authored by<\/strong>: Scott T Paynton and Kinda K Hahn. <strong>Provided by<\/strong>: Humbolt State University. <strong>Located at<\/strong>: <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/en.wikibooks.org\/wiki\/Survey_of_Communication_Study\/Preface\">https:\/\/en.wikibooks.org\/wiki\/Survey_of_Communication_Study\/Preface<\/a>. <strong>License<\/strong>: <em><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"license\" href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-sa\/4.0\/\">CC BY-SA: Attribution-ShareAlike<\/a><\/em><\/li><\/ul><div class=\"license-attribution-dropdown-subheading\">CC licensed content, Specific attribution<\/div><ul class=\"citation-list\"><li>Young people in conversation. <strong>Authored by<\/strong>: Alexis Brown. <strong>Provided by<\/strong>: Unsplash. <strong>Located at<\/strong>: <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/unsplash.com\/photos\/-Xv7k95vOFA\">https:\/\/unsplash.com\/photos\/-Xv7k95vOFA<\/a>. <strong>License<\/strong>: <em><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"license\" href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/about\/cc0\">CC0: No Rights Reserved<\/a><\/em>. <strong>License Terms<\/strong>: Unsplash License<\/li><\/ul><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t <\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t <\/div>\n\t\t\t <\/section><hr class=\"before-footnotes clear\" \/><div class=\"footnotes\"><ol><li id=\"footnote-775-1\">Burke, Alison. \"<a href=\"https:\/\/www.brookings.edu\/blog\/brookings-now\/2017\/12\/05\/10-facts-about-american-women-in-the-workforce\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">10 facts about American women in the workforce<\/a>.\"\u00a0<em>Brookings<\/em>, 05 Dec 2017. Web. 26 June 2018. <a href=\"#return-footnote-775-1\" class=\"return-footnote\" aria-label=\"Return to footnote 1\">&crarr;<\/a><\/li><li id=\"footnote-775-2\">Bucher, Richard D.\u00a0<i>Diversity Consciousness Opening Our Minds to People, Cultures, and Opportunities<\/i>. Pearson, 2015, p 130. <a href=\"#return-footnote-775-2\" class=\"return-footnote\" aria-label=\"Return to footnote 2\">&crarr;<\/a><\/li><\/ol><\/div>","protected":false},"author":17,"menu_order":7,"template":"","meta":{"_candela_citation":"[{\"type\":\"cc\",\"description\":\"Working across Genders\",\"author\":\"Nina Burokas\",\"organization\":\"Lumen Learning\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/wmopen-businesscommunicationmgrs\/chapter\/working-across-genders\/#footnote-3267-1\",\"project\":\"\",\"license\":\"cc-by\",\"license_terms\":\"\"},{\"type\":\"cc\",\"description\":\"Survey of Communication Study\",\"author\":\"Scott T Paynton and Kinda K Hahn\",\"organization\":\"Humbolt State University\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/en.wikibooks.org\/wiki\/Survey_of_Communication_Study\/Preface\",\"project\":\"\",\"license\":\"cc-by-sa\",\"license_terms\":\"\"},{\"type\":\"cc-attribution\",\"description\":\"Young people in conversation\",\"author\":\"Alexis Brown\",\"organization\":\"Unsplash\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/unsplash.com\/photos\/-Xv7k95vOFA\",\"project\":\"\",\"license\":\"cc0\",\"license_terms\":\"Unsplash License\"}]","CANDELA_OUTCOMES_GUID":"bff887f4-c3e5-42ea-bb56-5528f82dc511, 36f21361-8f02-4076-8be4-dcd60ab268eb","pb_show_title":"on","pb_short_title":"","pb_subtitle":"","pb_authors":[],"pb_section_license":""},"chapter-type":[],"contributor":[],"license":[],"class_list":["post-775","chapter","type-chapter","status-publish","hentry"],"part":23,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/wm-organizationalbehavior\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/775","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/wm-organizationalbehavior\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/wm-organizationalbehavior\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/chapter"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/wm-organizationalbehavior\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/17"}],"version-history":[{"count":9,"href":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/wm-organizationalbehavior\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/775\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2198,"href":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/wm-organizationalbehavior\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/775\/revisions\/2198"}],"part":[{"href":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/wm-organizationalbehavior\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/parts\/23"}],"metadata":[{"href":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/wm-organizationalbehavior\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/775\/metadata\/"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/wm-organizationalbehavior\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=775"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"chapter-type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/wm-organizationalbehavior\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapter-type?post=775"},{"taxonomy":"contributor","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/wm-organizationalbehavior\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/contributor?post=775"},{"taxonomy":"license","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/wm-organizationalbehavior\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/license?post=775"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}