Transcript What Your Communication Style Says About You

What Your
Communication
Style Says About
You, Why It
Matters, and How
to Manage
Everyone Else’s
There are four basic
communication styles.
Expressive
Systematic
Sympathetic
Direct
Our communication style affects how
others’ react to and perceive us.
Knowing your
communication style
and knowing how to
manage others’
communication styles
can reduce conflicts,
increase productivity,
and improve teamwork
in the workplace.
Expressives tend to be high energy,
speak quickly, and focus on the big
picture. They generally find conflict or
differences in opinion invigorating.
Perception of Expressives:
They can seem overly
cheerful, vain, or
unpredictable.
Systematics focus on the facts and
details and not on the big picture.
They’re generally not comfortable with
conflict.
Perception of
Systematics: Systematics
can be perceived as
unemotional or
nonchalant.
Directs are generally brief in conversation
and often involved in many things at
once. They tend to see the big picture and
are more focused on the outcome than on
the smaller tasks.
Perception of Directs:
Directs can appear
self-confident,
intimidating, and
opinionated.
Sympathetics like to focus on people and
relationships, are good listeners and
generally concerned with everyone’s
needs. Sympathetics typically don’t like
conflict.
Perception of
Sympathetics:
Sympathetics are
seen as soft-hearted
or overly helpful.
They can be
perceived as
procrastinators
when distracted.
We can avoid conflict and
misunderstandings by paying close
attention to how those around us are
communicating.
Communication
can be verbal or in
the form of body
language.
If you sense an imbalance, then adjust
the way you’re communicating either
verbally or physically.
Being aware of and
adapting our
communication style to
complement someone
else’s style will enable
employees to sustain
productivity and a
harmonious work
environment.