ADAPTING TO STYLES
The most effective way to communicate is to know the style of the person you are communicating with and then adapt to his or her specific communication preferences. The following is a brief description of adaptations that can be made for each style: Socializers (Direct, Supporting):Socializers talk, move, and make decisions quickly. They are relationship-oriented. Here are a few ways to communicate effectively with them: - Supporting their opinions, ideas, and dreams - Allowing the discussion to flow and occasionally go off on tangents - Being entertaining and fast moving - Being interested in them - Avoiding conflict and arguments - Agreeing and making notes of the specifics of any agreement - Complimenting their appearance, creative ideas, persuasiveness, and charisma - Allowing them to "get things off their chests" directors (Direct, Controlling):Directors talk, move, and make decisions quickly. They are task-oriented. Here are adaptations that are effective with them: - Supporting their goals and objectives - Talking about the desired results - Keeping your communication businesslike - Recognizing their ideas rather than them personally - Being precise, efficient, and well organized - Providing them with clearly described options with supporting analysis - Arguing on facts, not feelings, when disagreements occur
Thinkers (Indirect, Controlling): Thinkers talk, move, and make decisions more slowly. They are task-oriented. Here are adaptations that are effective with them:
- Being thorough and well prepared - Supporting their organized, thoughtful approach - Supporting their need to be accurate and logical - Complimenting their efficiency, thought processes, and organization - Demonstrating through actions rather than words - Being systematic, exact, organized, and prepared - Describing a process in detail and explaining how it will produce results - Asking questions and letting them show you how much the know - Allowing time for deliberation and analysis - Answering questions and providing details and analysis - Listing advantages and disadvantages of any plan - Providing solid, tangible, factual evidence
Relaters (Indirect, Supporting): Relaters talk, move, and make decisions more slowly. Like Socializers, they are relationship-oriented. Here are adaptations that are effective with them:
- Being warm and sincere - Supporting their feelings by showing personal interest - Assuming that they'll take everything personally - Allowing them time to develop trust in you - Moving along in an informal, slow manner - - Actively listening - Discussing personal feelings in the event of a disagreement - Discussing and supporting the relationship - Complimenting their teamwork, their relationships with others, and their ability to "get along"
|
