In any workplace, you’ll find different people with different communication styles. Some may gravitate toward facts and figures as others tend to be more interested in personal experiences and relationships. Such differences in communication style may lead to miscommunication and a lack of understanding. According to a report done by The Economist Intelligence Unit and Lucidchart, 42% of the causes of poor communication are due to the different communication styles we use.
However, you should also note that these differences are what drive innovation and success in business. This is why handling how your employees communicate is so important to the rapid growth of an organization.
What are the Different Communication Styles?
There are four communication styles to help you identify with your staff and get to promote better communication among yourselves.
They include;
Analytical Communication Style
Analytical communicators prefer data and real numbers. They focus on descriptive facts that accompany any information presented to them. This trait makes them very skeptical about people who do not rely on real-world facts. They dislike small and vague talk that does not contribute to their information about the situation and company goals.
One of the best traits exhibited by analytical communicators is that they look at problems in a logical way and find solutions. They are not blinded by the emotions associated with having a problem.
However, one of the downsides is that they may appear cold to others in the office and may prohibit creative solutions from the more intuitive people in the office.
Intuitive Communication Style
Intuitive communicators like straight-to-the-point information. They do not appreciate hearing every step if it does not involve them or matter to the problem at hand. They prefer having information summarised in a way that they can easily digest the main points and proceed to fix the problem.
These communicators are great at risk-taking and embrace out of the box thinking. This allows them to be open to big ideas and implement them without thinking about the details. Intuitive communicators are typically creatives and keep the organization from stagnating.
For dealing with other employees, they may be inpatient and prefer to do things themselves. They may rush to solutions they feel passionate about and not invest the time required to sit through important processes. They run the risk of appearing rude and as a know-it-all, although the intuitive communicators are essential to a fast growing organization.
Functional Communication Style
Functional communicators are the exact opposite of intuitive communicators. They thrive on intricate details and step-by-step processes. Planning is a crucial component in everything they do to ensure success. They are typically strict on timelines and to-do lists.
With this kind of communication, nothing goes unnoticed. They are perfect at implementation and always get things done. They are easily annoyed by intuitive communicators who have no regard for detail and processes.
People may lose their attention span when listening to a presentation by functional communicators. The exhaustive presentation of information may prove to be a problem.
Personal Communication Style
With personal communicators, emotions and personal connections are what drive their conversations. They like learning more about people and have a likable personality that allows them to interact freely with people.
In times of conflicts and disagreements, they are the best at resolving such situations. This is because they are good listeners which makes them the perfect diplomats. To them, relationship health is a necessary thing that makes them invested in seeing friendships thrive. They are the glue that binds people together in the workplace.
Why Do These Communication Styles Matter in an Organization?
As a manager, you need to learn how to effectively communicate with your staff keeping in mind their different communication styles. Doing this will help in the following ways.
Help you Identify Where to Improve Communication in the Workplace
The Lucidchart report shows that 44% of people indicate miscommunication as a cause of incomplete projects. Miscommunication can also cause a lot of other issues like stress, low morale, and the loss of a client. It goes to show that improving your communication is very important.
Finding a way to identify these different styles in your staff and take your time to pass information as required is crucial. It will not only improve the performance of the team but also lead to a spike in sales.
Help you Provide the Right Training and Resources for Your Individual Staff Needs
As you work on improving your communication with your staff, it is also necessary to promote the same culture among teammates. You can do this by providing the right resources and training for your staff members.
Holding training that allows them to learn more about collaborating as a team and getting over their fears will bridge the communication gaps. This will allow things to run more smoothly in your organization. It will also show your staff the commitment you have in their personal growth and boost their morale to keep working.
Promotes Inclusivity and Cooperation in the Workplace
The fact that your staff has got different communication styles requires you to incorporate different tools that cater to each of them. Some may prefer emails and written text on their assignments while others may prefer to work on a visual representation. Taking this into account will promote inclusivity and encourage your staff to be more cooperative and enthusiastic about their work.
Helps Promote Transparency in Your Organization
Are your goals and aspirations as an organization known to your staff members? As a manager, it is important to communicate exactly what your organization is working towards. Doing this will help your staff members identify different ways they can contribute towards the larger goal. It also shows your staff that you value them as members of your team and their contribution is appreciated. This transparency goes a long way despite the barriers presented by communication styles.
Conclusion
Learning more about communication styles and why they matter goes a long way to achieving your goals as an organization. Different people require you to communicate your information in a different way so that they can easily comprehend. Take your time and have your staff fill out a communications style assessment to help you categorize each one.
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