{"id":578,"date":"2025-04-07T12:02:44","date_gmt":"2025-04-07T12:02:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pressbooks.palni.org\/leveragingdatavisualizationtocommunicateeffectively\/?post_type=chapter&p=578"},"modified":"2025-07-07T21:36:06","modified_gmt":"2025-07-07T21:36:06","slug":"leveraging-data-visualization-to-communicate-across-gaps","status":"publish","type":"chapter","link":"https:\/\/pressbooks.palni.org\/leveragingdatavisualizationtocommunicateeffectively\/chapter\/leveraging-data-visualization-to-communicate-across-gaps\/","title":{"raw":"Leveraging Data Visualization to Communicate Across Gaps","rendered":"Leveraging Data Visualization to Communicate Across Gaps"},"content":{"raw":"
\r\n

One of the criticisms I\u2019ve faced over the years is that I\u2019m not aggressive enough or assertive enough or maybe somehow, because I\u2019m empathetic, it means I\u2019m weak. I totally rebel against that. I refuse to believe that you cannot be both compassionate and strong.<\/p>\r\n

\u2014Jacinda Ardern, prime minister of New Zealand<\/p>\r\n<\/blockquote>\r\n

\r\n

What Do You Think?<\/strong><\/p>\r\n

Emilee just joined the conference session entitled A Trio of Perspectives in Data Visualization<\/em>. She was surprised when the presenter announced that the first task was to join her assigned team based on a preconference survey. As Emilee found her team, the conference presenter gave them additional instructions\u2014to share how their organizations publish information about diversity, equity, and inclusion along with other related issues.<\/p>\r\n

Emilee joined her assigned teammates, Barbara and Tonya. After introducing herself, she discovered that Barbara works at a multinational corporation with a diverse workforce spanning multiple continents. Barbara, beaming with pride, said, \u201cMy organization creates visually stunning dashboards showcasing our diversity metrics to represent a comprehensive snapshot of my organization\u2019s demographics to especially highlight and promote gender and ethnic diversity.\u201d As Barbara opens her laptop to share the website, Tonya offers, \u201cI\u2019m not sure I\u2019m in the right team! I\u2019m in sports.\u201d<\/p>\r\n

Tonya works for a sports consulting corporation where she works with different organizations to increase their fan base by reaching diverse cultures, generations, and gender. Tonya offered, \u201cThe world of sports faces unique challenges in conveying their commitment to diversity and inclusion. They request specific data visualizations that convey unity and empowerment. I do my best work where I can feature individual stories and collective triumphs.\u201d<\/p>\r\n

Emilee looks at Barbara\u2019s laptop and compliments the aesthetics of her organization\u2019s dashboard. Emilee feels somewhat intimidated. Taking a breath, she says, \u201cI work for a nonprofit and we operate on a shoestring budget. We rely on simple impactful visuals that convey the lived experiences of the communities we serve. We don\u2019t have a metric of our organization; in fact, we only have 12 employees. Instead, our metric is based on the number of clients we help. Most of our clients are from marginalized groups. We provide free-legal counsel.\u201d<\/p>\r\n

Barbara looks perplexed and asks, \u201cWhat kind of cases?\u201d<\/p>\r\n

Emilee is quick to respond, \u201cWell things like gender pay gap, diversity issues, and inclusion issues. We use minimalist, community-centric visuals. Nothing as fancy as Barbara\u2019s organization!\u201d<\/p>\r\n

Discussion: What do you think?<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n

Introduction<\/h1>\r\n

In the era of an increasingly interconnected world, diversity reigns as both a challenge and an opportunity. Effective communication bridges the gaps among diverse populations to foster collaboration, understanding, and progress. Hiring a diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) officer can be a significant step for any organization, but thinking about the scenario in the \u201cWhat Do You Think?\u201d section, how would a nonprofit that has 12 employees justify this action?<\/p>\r\n

One topic DEI officers address is the gender wage gap. According to Elise Gould at the Economic Policy Institute, the gender wage gap in the United States still persists across all levels (low, middle, and high income) and women are paid less than men at every education level (2024). In 2023, \u201cwomen were paid 21.8% less on average than men in 2023, after controlling for race and ethnicity, education, age, and geographic division\u201d (Gouse, 2024, para. 1). It\u2019s an even bleaker picture if you dive into the data on Black and Hispanic women.<\/p>\r\n

At its core, this chapter focuses on communication for diverse audiences. Topics to consider for diverse populations include gender, culture, generation, equity, and inclusion. This chapter includes DEI best practices including people-first labeling, purposeful order labels, consideration of missing groups, awareness of stereotyping, and mindful use of icons and shapes. It also includes leadership and communication strategies in relation to the relative burnout that marginalized populations are facing.<\/p>\r\n

As you embark on this journey, it is imperative to recognize that effective communication is not a one-size-fits-all endeavor. It requires an understanding of audience dynamics, cultural nuances, and cognitive biases. It is hoped that this chapter will equip you to harness the power of data visualizations as a catalyst for change, driving meaningful dialogue, and fostering a more inclusive society.<\/p>\r\n

Chapter 8 addresses the following learning objectives.<\/p>\r\n\r\n

\r\n

Learning Objectives<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/header>\r\n

\r\n

At the end of this chapter, students should be able to:<\/p>\r\n\r\n

    \r\n \t
  1. LO 1: Share strategies that address gender communication issues.<\/li>\r\n \t
  2. LO 2: Identify competing ways to influence within the global organization.<\/li>\r\n \t
  3. LO 3: Share strategies that address multigenerational communication issues.<\/li>\r\n \t
  4. LO 4: Identify data visualization techniques and strategies to address gender, cultural, and multigenerational issues.<\/li>\r\n \t
  5. LO 5: Identify how poor visualizations impact diversity, equity, and inclusion.<\/li>\r\n \t
  6. LO 6: Apply leadership strategies when your team is burned out (especially from virtual meetings).<\/li>\r\n \t
  7. LO 7: Demonstrate best practices of communication for Global Leaders.<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n

    Key Terms:<\/em> Audience and audience perceptions, Brain dominance, Cognitive preference, Conflict, credibility, gender tendencies, gender motivation theory, global leader communication, interruptions, motivation, nonverbal cues, PechaKucha, PESTLE, power through character strengths, presentation designs, remote engagement, remote presenting, SWOT<\/p>\r\nDownload Chapter 8 PowerPoint (9 MB)<\/a>\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n

    8.1 Gender Communication Issues<\/h1>\r\n
    \r\n

    The hope is that laying out what we understand about essential differences in the minds of men and women may lead to greater acceptance and respect of differences.<\/p>\r\n

    \u2014Simon Baren-Cohen<\/p>\r\n<\/blockquote>\r\n

    Gender communication issues are a complex phenomenon that reaches various aspects of society, from workforce dynamics to decades of gender disparity and stereotyping. To begin, let\u2019s look at gender tendencies. Gender tendencies<\/strong> refer to a pattern or inclination commonly associated with a particular gender based on social norms, cultural expectations, and stereotypes. Examples of gender tendencies include (a) communication style, (b) occupational choices, (c) emotional expression, and (d) leadership style. A critical examination of gender tendencies can help challenge stereotypes and foster a greater understanding of inclusivity across diverse gender identities. It is important to note that gender tendencies are not a fixed characteristic of individuals; instead, they are socially constructed and can vary across different cultures and contexts.<\/p>\r\n\r\n

    So What Are Gender Tendencies?<\/h2>\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"380\"]\"A Note: Author Photograph[\/caption]\r\n

    Before we start, we must deal with an important caveat. The communication expectations are based on the tendencies of men and women as a group. Individuals may exhibit any combination of \u201cmale\u201d and \u201cfemale\u201d behaviors. For example, when I am in a meeting, I tend to nest and take up a lot of room. I have my laptop and iPad, my notebook always turned to a new blank page, a few mechanical pencils, a couple of pens, and always a cup of coffee. Women normally take less room at a conference table, even pulling in their elbows. Not me. I\u2019m crowding my neighbors and that is a typical male tendency. So let\u2019s look at these male and female tendencies to understand the environment and the audience. Remember, understanding your environment and your audience is the first step to successful communication.<\/p>\r\n

    Let\u2019s start with a comparison of tendencies:<\/em> According to Winstok et al. (2018), \u201caccording to gender motivation theory, men are driven by a desire to enhance their status; whereas women are motivated by a desire to reduce risk\u201d (p. 276). Leonard, Beauvais, and Scholls (1999) introduced sources of motivation from three attributes: traits (\u201crepeated behavioral patterns\u201d), competencies (\u201cskills, abilities, talents, knowledge\u201d), and values (\u201cbeliefs about desirable outcomes\u201d) (pp. 974\u2013975). Just as one has a dominant hand (either left-handed or right-handed), individuals have a dominant source of motivation. But how did we develop these tendencies through motivation and conflict? And what does that have to do with communication?<\/p>\r\n\r\n

    Gender Tendency #1\u2013Motivation and Conflict<\/h2>\r\n

    Male:<\/strong><\/span> Childhood games taught him that competition is fun, winning is good, performing aggressively is acceptable, and boasting of your success is normal (Shaffer, D. & Kipp, K., 2013). And these social cues learned in childhood are the foundation of why a male views conflict as impersonal<\/strong>. He may even consider conflict a necessary part of a working relationship!<\/p>\r\n

    Female:<\/strong> <\/span>Childhood games taught her to compromise and collaborate. She competes primarily with herself and tends to be modest about accomplishments. She is motivated by connections and causes. She takes conflict personally<\/strong> (Doyle, 2022).<\/p>\r\n

    In a study by Eagly et al. (1994) the Miner Sentence Completion Scale (MSCS) showed that men scored higher than women on competitive games, competitive situations, assertive roles, imposing issues and standing out from the group. Women scored higher on authority figures and routine administrative functions. It is no surprise that male managers are often perceived as autocratic leaders. However, a newer study, using the same MSCS, discovered there was no significant difference between men and women for \u201ccompetitive situations\u201d or \u201cstanding out in a group\u201d (Thorton et al., 1997).<\/p>\r\n

    The most common workforce conflicts include employment conditions, supervisor decisions, personality conflicts, and uncivil behavior. According to Van Gramberg et al. (2020), only 21% of conflicts are fully resolved. No wonder organizations are experiencing high turnover!<\/p>\r\n

    As an aside, conflict resolution in the workplace must start with both parties recognizing that a problem exists with the intent of reaching a mutual agreement. Changes in attitudes or behaviors can lessen negative feelings. However, understanding what triggers the episodes of conflict can often lead to someone saying, \u201cI didn\u2019t know that bothered you.\u201d Using \u201cactive listening\u201d is a communication technique for conflict resolution. It requires the listener to restate or paraphrase what they just heard to confirm their understanding. Instead of mentally preparing a response, listen to points being made (Chastain, 2013)!<\/p>\r\n\r\n

    What Data Visualization Strategies Help With Communicating?<\/h3>\r\n

    Effective data visualization strategies that cater to different genders should aim to be inclusive, engaging, and relatable. Let\u2019s look through some of these strategies.<\/p>\r\n\r\n