Explain that observers have been keeping track of how people in the groups interact. In all female groups, female leaders often assume a low profile, include others, and encourage others to talk. Men as leaders tend to resist the contribution of others. In same-gender conversations, males cut off males and females cut off females, but interruptions were equally distributed. Women tried forty-seven times and succeeded only seventeen times.
Men are more successful and talk longer.
In conversations between male and female professional couples, women asked three times as many questions as men. The rising inflection suggests that the speaker is seeking confirmation even though she may be the only one who has the necessary information. This suggests doubt or encourages the listener to respond. It also leads to women not being taken as seriously or listened to as frequently. Are stern taskmasters Are hard to work for Copyright 1995 by Cheryl Hetherington.