Talking from 9 to 5 : women and men at work

Deborah Tannen looks at the role played by talk 'from 9 to 5', focusing in particular on the differing conversational rituals that typify men and women.

Those common among men involve opposition such as banter, joking and playful put-downs; common among women are ways of maintaining the appearance of equality, avoiding boasting and downplaying authority.

Arguing that no one style is superior, Tannen shows that when conventions are taken literally, there are negative results for both sides.

She illuminates the different ways men and women make decisions, ask for information and delegate.

Then shows how these styles affect how we are judged in the workplace.

Talking from 9 to 5 is a brilliantly incisive book that offers powerful new ways of understanding what's really going on at work.