Getting Heard

[Michelle McNair]

Hi Eric:

What a great point!  I know that I speak really quickly naturally, and if 
I get nervous, well..... the Federal Express commercial man has nothing 
on me.   Perhaps speaking too fast makes us appear unsure of ourselves - 
definately something for me to think about.  Thanks!

Michelle

On 18 Jan 1996, Eric Grunden wrote:

> 
> In a previous article, spallas at bcm.tmc.edu (Sarah L. Pallas) says:
> 
> >So the questions are :
> >1)  How does one get HEARD in male groups?
> >2)  How does one respond when one is blatantly ignored for what may be
> >sexist reasons?  Even if it may be unintentional?
> 
> 				*******
> 
> I am a man involved in science, and I hope I am not out of place in
> making a suggestion/observation that I have not seen posted on this
> subject yet. I have observed a trend (I'm not saying that it's good
> or bad or whatever) over the years that women tend to speak more
> quickly (words/min) than men (especialy men in science who carefully
> choose each word). It may be that men have a slower comprehension rate,
> or think about each word longer (sometimes unnecessarily so), I don't
> know. All I know is that it is true. If you do not believe me, do this
> simple experiment; eavesdrop on conversations between women and women,
> men and men, and men and women, and count the words spoken per minute.
> 
> My suggestion is this; speak much slower and more deliberately while
> looking members of the audience in the eye to guage whether they are
> following or not. You may have to speak at a rate that almost seems
> retarded to you (as a woman), but I feel that men tend to "tune out"
> when the velocity of ideas/words being thrown at them exceeds their
> slow/deliberate comprehension rate. What you refer to above as
> "unintentional sexism" might actually be a true biological or social
> conditioning difference between men and women in their speech and
> communication patterns. I hope this helps.
> 
> 						= eg =
> 
> -- 
> 			*******************
> The Spirit of Nature, a powerful force,
> 	belongs and returns to its creative source.
> - Excerpted from The Collective Works of Johnny Pokerface -
> 
>