They sometimes have a hard time seeing what is really happening. A woman coach would be much more in tune with the thought processes of women. Opposition, the final key concept of Tannen's that we will look at, illustrates what might be called a classic difference between female and male behaviours. Women often take arguments too literally and certainly too personally. Men can have an argument, challenge each other loudly and vehemently, and then later that day, act like nothing ever happened.
Male athletes training and travelling together can follow a similar pattern.
As a sport psychologist with women's teams and men's teams, in individual and team sports, I probably spend more time working through issues and difficulties with the women, although there has been a shift in recent years as male athletes are starting to talk more about concerns within the team. What I attempt to do, regardless of gender, is use those sessions as an opportunity to build the group into a more effective team through the arguments and discussions that arise. It is definitely not wasted energy. Given time, some specific skills, and the willingness to work through an issue, the group actually grows into a much stronger team. Awareness of how the conversational styles of women and men differ makes it easier for you to ensure that each athlete has a voice and is heard by you and by the other athletes on your team.