Gender Difference #3: Competition vs. Cooperation
Traditionally, women tend to be more cooperative in our approach to communication, whereas men are more competitive. Men tend to base success on outcomes, not outreach, and tend to use competition to demonstrate their presence, competence, and value. Women, in contrast, focus on inclusion, try to find solutions by seeking consensus and avoid conflict. Conflict (which is a natural part of competition)Â is often necessary. Because women tend to see disagreement as something that destroys relationships, they unconsciously tend to look for agreement at the outset, which consequently may not be the best solution.
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