Gender differences—including how men and women talk and view life—can generate misunderstanding and even hostility at work and in family relationships.

"That's why it is so important that we recognize the differences so we can move beyond, into new depths of understanding and cooperation," explains Deborah L. Orlowski, staff development associate in the Human Resources/Affirmative Action Office.

More than 50 faculty and staff learned about a few of those differences at a recent Commission for Women workshop led by Orlowski and Ann Arbor attorney Alex Cave.

Men and women often think they're talking about the same thing when they use a particular word but may have totally different notions of what that word means. Even such basic words as play and game" have different meanings for men and women, Orlowski noted. 

Most of the men who participated in the workshop had played team sports and learned the adage " 'team'doesn't have an 'I'in it at an early age. In contrast, many women in the group had never heard the phrase.

Boys grow up learning to play their role, or position, and understand that if they step into another person's role, they'll be told to back off, Cave noted. If someone is sick or can't play his position, boys playing team sports will change the rules of the game so the team can compete. In contrast,girls will do the best they can without the missing player but probably won't change the rules.

When it comes to picking teams,boys usually select the best player because they want to win. Girls are more likely to choose their best friend to play on their team because social relationships are key.