Is Being a Good Speaker a Battle of the Sexes?
Hi there, friends!
'A battle of the sexes...' what a deliciously old-fashioned turn of phrase!
But it taps in to a common assumption: that men and women give inherently different types of speeches - and that the delivery is baked in.
So instead of ‘Do men and women give different speeches?’, perhaps the more interesting question is: do we listen to men and women differently? And (being simplistic about gender for simplicity’s sake), is one gender type better at persuading an audience than the other?
The myth: men = assertive, chest-beating, facts-driven, women = softer, emotions-led, collaborative.
Research suggests that yes, there are average differences in confidence and communication style. But there’s little evidence that men are inherently better at persuading an audience. A 2026 Leadership Quarterly experiment found no significant difference between genders’ ability to influence listeners.
So this isn't a battle of the sexes.
It's a battle with expectations.
“Ideas excite me. Empathy grounds and centers me” Satya Nadella, Microsoft CEO
Arguably, men are often more comfortable claiming airtime in professional settings. Upside: a speaker who takes space, speaks directly and avoids over-qualifying can appear authoritative. Downside? Confidence can become airtime for airtime’s sake.
A 2024 study of corporate earnings calls found female CFOs were, on average, more concise and clearer, used fewer clichés and included more numerical information than male CFOs.
Women, meanwhile, may be less likely to volunteer for public speaking even when ability and confidence do not fully explain the difference. They can also face an “authority gap”: being interrupted more often or assumed to have less expertise.
Fortunately, improvisation trains people to listen, respond, take space and adapt in real time. The “Yes, and…” principle of improv is not about agreeing with everything. It is about accepting what is happening and contributing clearly.
If you’re a speaker who tends to disappear:
Take the space. Finish the sentence. Trust the idea.
If you’re a speaker who tends to dominate:
Listen. Leave space. Notice the room.
Improv also teaches flexibility around status. Sometimes a speaker needs authority and certainty. Sometimes warmth and curiosity work better. The strongest presenters can move between both.
The best lesson, then, is not that men should present one way and women another.
It’s that everyone benefits from increasing their range.
All the best,
Paul n Vic
#AppliedImprovisation #YesAnd #BusinessInPlay #BusinessSkills #PersonalGrowth #AgilityinBusiness #AdaptabilityQuotient #PositiveEnergy #PlayfulSolutions #speeches #gender #competition #SoftSkills
Speaker Tweaks
Aim: It can help if you feel wedded to your gender and the tropes associated with it or if you feel you need more strings to your performer bow.
Remember, how the audience perceives you trumps how you perceive yourself, so if you can get a buddy to practise with, all the better.
Outcome: You'll expand your range when giving speeches.
How it works: Give a one-minute talk about a subject as naturally as you can. You’re not testing your knowledge - you’re testing how you behave when speaking (and whether your gender screams from the rooftops, cliché-wise). Now give the same talk making ONE adjustment out of these two:
glue your little finger and ring finger to each other, and your forefinger and middle finger to each other, on both hands, like a Vulcan from Star Trek saying “Live long and prosper”.
Straddle your legs and arms so you take up more space, letting your elbows lead the conversation.
Reflections: How did the one you picked feel? What did you notice?
