ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses some background on the topic of gender and authority, and looks at how the intersections of various group and individual characteristics make it impossible to generalize about the best communication techniques. It presents a variety of communication patterns and discusses their benefits and risks, and reviews strategies women can use to effectively convey an image that is both strong and likable. The chapter discusses the use of voice and nonverbal communication to project authority. It offers a strategy for getting our voice heard when discussions turn to controversial topics and emotions become heated. For most women, the ideal is to project an image that combines both “hard” and “soft” qualities. Questions and hedges can be used deliberately and to good effect to invite input from others.
