Gender Differences in Influencing

If you can influence, you can more easily convince your counterpart, obtain a desirable outcome, and encourage a win-win negotiation takeaway.

Studies have shown that there are gender differences in the approach to influencing. In part, it relates to how men and women approach a?conversation. Men typically converse in order to assert dominance or reach a tangible outcome.

On the other hand, women are more likely to see conversation as a way to enhance social connection, create relationships, and be expressive, tentative, and polite. The research is not thorough, and past studies have shown mixed results, but some have found that men and women use different influencing tactics, which mimic their attitude toward conversation.

One of the influencing models has nine influencing tactics:

(1) legitimating,

(2) exchange,

(3) pressure,

(4) coalition,

(5) rationality,

(6) inspirational appeals,

(7) consultation,

(8) ingratiating,

(9) personal appeals.

The first four are classified as hard tactics, whereas the remaining are soft tactics. Men may use hard tactics when attempting to influence a woman, whereas soft tactics are more likely to be used between women, between men, and from female to male.

For more on the nine influencing tactics, see here. ?