That's the word from Rene Shepley Ragan, president of Shepley Resource Systems and one of the speakers at the upcoming 1992 Delaware Women's Conference. Men often use humor to communicate. They can use it to really zap someone, but with humor they don't have to be held accountable. Everyone laughs, but the message gets through. A woman boss, who might be much more concerned about an employee's feelings, would seldom use humor that way.
Men use humor, like sports, to bond.
Men tell jokes, remember jokes and use them more in conversations. Women are much more likely to talk about family and personal things when they bond. Men don't always want to know the personal stuff. A man can be quickly accepted into a group if he is a good storyteller. Shepley gives talks through her own consulting firm and seminars on communication skills and team building for Insight Institute, where she is executive vice president.