When female athletes succeed, commentators focus on luck and less on physical ability. When female athletes fail, physical ability and commitment are noted.

In contrast, when male athletes succeed, commentators applaud their skill and commitment. When male athletes fail, commentators focused not on their failure, but on the success of their competitors. (Science Daily, June 18, 2012)

We need to step back and examine the biases we communicate to our audiences or prospects or clients. The greatest communicator can fall into the trap of unintentionally infusing inappropriate personal bias into a professional discussion.

Just as Olympic commentators will shape the way we view Olympic athletes, so too the way you communicate a subject will shape the perception of your customers.

Source: Journal of Broadcasting and Electronic Media— University of Delaware professor James Angelini recently published results of two studies in which he illustrates the gender biases present in NBC Olympic commentary.