When it comes to relationships, it's no big surprise that men and women often have trouble communicating. He says this, she interprets it as that, conflicts ensue. But when the communication gap causes conflicts in the workplace, it's not always as easy to "kiss and make up." The fact is, women and men tend to have vastly different communication styles - styles that often cause more friction than fraternity.

Women generally adopt a collaborative communication style, explains Joanna Krotz, author, business owner and columnist for Microsoft Small Business. This means that women like to get input from others, talk about ideas out loud and ensure that everyone is on the same page when it comes to a project.

Men, on the other hand, don't need to have everyone on board. "For men, it's like saying, 'If you're not on the bus, get off the bus,'" Krotz says. "It follows the old cliché of command and control."

Note: Speaking of clichés, it is important to note that styles often reflect stereotypes and that we must be careful when making blanket assumptions. According Krotz, communication styles may be cross-generational as well. "Gen X and Gen Y tend to have different communication styles than Baby Boomers," she points out. "So, we see that age may be as big a factor as anything."

That said, you may very well notice a male or female coworker adopting the following (somewhat stereotypical) styles, for whatever reason. Let's explore the communication styles a little more closely to get an in-depth understanding of the force behind the gender divide.

The Differences between Men and Women: How the sexes handle the same situation in very different ways.

• GOALS: People/process vs. Tasks/results

Michael, Rob, Amy and Christina are in a business meeting discussing an effective approach for their latest project. During the meeting, Michael and Rob's interaction becomes noticeably heated. The two women immediately wish to calm the dispute and become very uncomfortable during the exchange.

Women: Women's thought process works like a web: everything is interconnected. So when it comes to a project, the people and the process are just as important as the end result. Amy and Christina were concerned with Michael and Rob, and how the group was arriving at its conclusion.

Men: Men, on the other hand, are more task-oriented and fixated on the end result; the process is less important to them as long as the result is adequate. Michael and Rob's heated discussion had nothing to do with their relationship. It was merely a way for them to hash out a conclusion.

Resulting Clash: Men become annoyed with women's tendency to discuss everything related to a project as a means of finding a solution. On the flip side, women become very concerned when coworkers clash.

Solution: Recognize the differences for what they are and figure out what style(s) work best for the individual situation and group dynamic.

• FOCUS: Feelings vs. Facts

Michael and Amy are working together on a project, as are Rob and Christina. The problem is that Michael and Christina are always late and never offer input. Amy tells her boss, "This simply isn't fair. I'm getting overworked and he isn't doing anything." Rob tells his boss, "Christina is consistently 2 hours late, and I had to take on her responsibilities AND mine."

Women: Women focus on feelings. Amy told her boss how she felt regarding the situation. Essentially, she stuck to value judgments.

Men: Men focus on facts. Rob told his boss the concrete realities of the situation and remained objective.

Resulting Clash: Men consider feelings irrelevant in the workplace, so they become confused and/or frustrated when a woman airs grievances that have emotional foundations.

Solution: When it comes to work, stick to the facts. Your co-worker might have made you feel taken advantage of, but your boss can only correct concrete problems.

• QUESTIONS: Asking vs. Withholding

During a weekly scheduling meeting, Amy's boss gives her a new assignment and explains the project. Amy asks several questions to clarify the purpose of the project and make sure she understands the tasks. Rob steals a look at the clock and gives a subtle sigh. The boss then turns to Rob with a different assignment. After hearing the explanation, Rob nods and the meeting continues.

Women: "Women ask questions to gather information," says Krotz. "It's how they attack problems and come up with solutions." Amy asked questions because she felt it would improve her performance on the job and prevent communication problems from arising down the line.

Men: Men, on the other hand, talk to give information. So rather than thinking aloud and sharing nascent ideas, they think to themselves until they reach a more developed plan of action. What's more, Rob was actually annoyed that Amy asked so many questions.

Why the Clash: Men view questions as a sign of weakness and assume the questioning coworker to be incompetent. On the other hand, "women assume that men know exactly what they're doing because they don't ask questions," Krotz states.

Solution: Do what is needed to accomplish the task. If you ask 20 questions upfront and turn out a stellar result, there won't be anyone questioning your competency.

• TALKING: Weak Language vs. Direct Language

Michael and Christina's assignment is to create a print ad for the company's new product. During brainstorming, Christina says, "I don't know how much you'll like this idea, but maybe we could use a light blue background." Michael considers this and says, "A white background will make it look cleaner."

Women: Women often discredit themselves in speech through disclaimers, such as Christina's. Weak language also includes tag lines ("That's a big success, don't you think?" or "That doesn't look right, does it?") and modifiers ("I'm just thinking..." or "Hopefully we can...").

Men: Men tend to be more direct when they talk. "They cut to the chase," Krotz says. Notice how Michael didn't use any tag lines or modifiers to undermine his idea. He spoke with confident authority.

Why the Clash: When women use weak language, men view them as weak employees. Her lack of confidence is as a danger to accomplishing the task.

Solution: Eliminate weak language from your vocabulary. Period.

Solutions: Additional communication barriers and how to bridge the communication gap in the workplace.

1. Problem: Getting interrupted

Solution: Take control.

Say: "Excuse me, I wasn't finished," or "Just a minute, I'm still talking."

2. Problem: Someone takes credit for your idea.

Solution: Correct that coworker!

>Say: "I just said that a second ago," or "Thank you for reiterating my point."

3. Problem: You have to critique someone else's work.

Solution: Forget the fancy talk. Be direct. Say: "This section doesn't accomplish what we need it to."

Educating yourself on important career issues such as this is one way to improve your chances for success in the workplace. Educating yourself in the academic arena is another important way to get a heads up on the competition.

SearchforClasses.com is dedicated to helping career-minded women like you to explore the options when it comes to education.

Nonverbal Communication: What do your behaviors say about you?

Communication isn't only about speaking. In fact, your movements and presentation can actually speak volumes. "It's 95 percent of all interaction," Kotz points out. Check out these silent matters and see if you're suggesting anything subconsciously.

• Nodding: Women nod to show that they understand something - "I see." Men interpret nodding as concurrence - "I agree." Too much nodding causes communication clashes.

• Smiling: Women smile more than men do, as a part of their expressive nature. So what's the problem? A woman is more likely to be interrupted if she's smiling.

• Posture: Sometimes, women engage in weak body posture, such as a limp handshake, shoulder shrugging and averting the eyes. Men make more eye contact and stand tall, which projects a stronger visual image.

• Clothing: Speaking of visual images, make sure you're dressed professionally and look the part. Professionally attractive is much preferred over provocatively adorned.