Effective Communication
Styles
UWS Mini - Aspire Program
September 2009
INSPIRING TRANSFORMATIONAL LEADERSHIP
What is Communication?
Communication is a process by which we:
 Give
 Receive or
 Exchange
Information with others. It can involve:
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Speaking
Listening
Writing
Body Language
Speaker
Encoding
Source: “Communicating at work”
Message
Decoding
Listener
Why Do We
Communicate?
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To gain credibility
To help others and receive help
To receive or give information
To form relationships
To express ourselves
To give feedback
To complain
To resolve conflict
To understand and be understood
Communicating with “D”
Behaviour
High D’s want others to be direct, straightforward,
and open to their need for results.
Try to:
 Make communication brief and to the point
 Respect their need for autonomy
 Be clear about rules and expectations
 Let them initiate
 Show your competence
 Stick to the topic
 Show independence
 Eliminate time-wasters
Communicating with “D”
Behaviour
Be prepared for:
 Blunt, demanding approaches
 Lack of empathy
 Lack of sensitivity
 Little social interaction
Communicating with “i”
Behaviour
High I’s want others to be friendly and to recognise
their contributions.
Try to:
 Approach them formally
 Be relaxed and sociable
 Let them verbalise thoughts and feelings
 Keep the conversation light
 Provide written details
 Give public recognition for individual
accomplishments
 Use humour
Communicating with “i”
Behaviour
Be prepared for:
 Attempts to persuade or influence others
 A need for the limelight
 Overestimation of self and others
 Overselling ideas
 Vulnerability to perceived rejection
Communicating with “S”
Behaviour
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High S’s want others to be relaxed, agreeable,
cooperative, and appreciative.
Try to
Be logical and systematic in your approach
Provide a consistent and secure environment
Let them know how things will be done
Use sincere appreciation
Show their importance to the organisation
Let them adapt slowly to change
Communicating with “S”
Behaviour
Be prepared for:
 Friendliness to colleagues and supervisors
 Resistance to change
 Difficulty identifying priorities
 Difficulty with deadlines
Communicating with “C”
Behaviour
High C’s want others to minimise socialising, give
details, and value accuracy.
Try to:
 Give clear expectations and deadlines
 Show dependability
 Demonstrate loyalty
 Be tactful and emotionally reserved
 Allow precedent to be a guide
 Be precise and focussed
 Value high standards
Communicating with “C”
Behaviour
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Be prepared for:
Discomfort with ambiguity
Resistance to vague or general information
Desire to double-check
Little need for affiliation with others
Behaviours in the
Extreme
D
I
S
C
In Normal
Situations
Under Pressure
Extreme
Behaviour
In charge
Decisive
Demands
Leaves
Persuasive
Enthusiastic
Oversells
Gives up
Pouts
Supportive
Friendly
Gives in
Acts hurt
Accuses
Careful
Quiet
Is indecisive
Gets emotional
Attacks
Some Common
Communication Filters
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Prejudice
Stress
Stereotyping
Generalising
Assumptions
Inattention
Thinking we already
“know” what the
person will say/do
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Poor listening skills
Short attention span
“selective” hearing
Fixed ideas
Preconceptions
Tendency to jump to
conclusions
Active Listening
“It is better to remain quiet and be thought a
fool than to speak and remove all doubt.”
Anonymous
ACTIVE LISTENING ATTITUDES:
 Listening is as powerful as speech
 Listening saves time
 Listening is important and worthwhile with
everyone
Source: Crystal Clear Communications, Kris Cole
Why Don’t We Listen
Better?
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We think we have something better to say
ourselves
We are given no reason to listen
We think we know what they will say
There are too many distractions
We are busy listening to our own thoughts
Our minds are closed
We mentally criticise the message/speaker
We would rather be talking so we feel more
involved and in control
Source: Crystal Clear Communications, Kris Cole
Conclusion
“Communication isn’t about us feeding others
information or about others pouring their points
into our heads. It’s about relationships and
understanding expectations.
Communication is a dance – something that
happens between people. Every dance is different
and every dancer is different.”
Kris Cole
Australian Author
Avril Henry
Managing Director
Level 4, Suite 4.13
55 Miller Street
Pyrmont NSW 2009
Phone: 02 9660 2400
Fax: 02 9660 2411
Email: [email protected]
Web: www.avrilhenry.com.au