Communicating effectively with your team, family, and clients is very important, and it should take place in a way that is preferred individually. But what is the best way to determine which approach suits the best?
It would be best if you started by identifying the patterns of their speech behavior, their responses, and how easily they comprehend what you are saying. You have to be a keen observer if you wish to master the skill of effective communication. Let’s dig deep to understand how you can understand this skill and choose to act.
Being Observant of Others
People have two types of communication speeds: quick speakers and slow speakers. People who speak quickly are the ones who talk a lot and use a loud voice; they use many verbal and hand gestures and tend to move around while talking. These people often speak their minds with the very first thoughts that hit them.
On the other hand, there are people who like talking slowly, they take their time to think and then say things as they are cautious about their words. Such people usually talk softly with pauses and like giving short answers. They often tend to avoid eye contact while talking to you and keep their hands close to their body.
Additionally, understanding the priorities for communication of different people is important as people who focus on relationships (front-wheel communicators) like to talk about other people, situations, their families, and friends and love to share their experiences. And people who focus on tasks (back-wheel communicators), like outcomes, data, processes, procedures, and goals, love to focus on their work.
Combine Pace and Priority – Common Phrases to Listen For
There are four styles of communication that people use;
- A fast-paced task-focused communicator might say, ” I want this done immediately,”
- A fast-paced front wheel who values relationships might say, “Oh, that is amazing!”.
- A slow-paced task-oriented person might tell you, “Kindly review this summary and provide an analysis of your findings.”
- You might hear a slow-paced back-wheel communicator who values relationships saying, “If you have a moment, your help would be greatly appreciated.”
There are some people who might use all four communication styles together. They might say, “I need this done right now with detailed analysis, and it would mean a lot. Awesome!” This single request includes all four communication approaches.
When trying to understand someone’s communication style, start by ensuring they are listening. If they’re not, try to use a different method. Consider using a people-focused approach to see if the message is getting across. Then you can figure out if the communication style is causing any issues.
Packaging Your Communication to a Group
Everyone has their own way of comprehending messages. Then, how does one ensure what message is to be conveyed to a group of people with different understandings?
When you address a group of people with different ways of communicating, you should try and use each communication style. For instance, you start with the fast-paced, task-oriented listeners as they would like to know the purpose, process, and benefits right away. Then, address the fast-paced, people-oriented communicators about advantages and goals. After that, focus on the slow-paced, people-focused listeners and discuss stability and a plan. End your speech with an overview that connects with all styles, and try to ensure that they all understand and engage with your message.
Establishing a 50/50 Dialogue
People make many common communication errors, and by the time they learn how to connect steps is important, they quickly incorporate these steps into their life. A few communication errors people make are;
- Talking overly without asking questions
- Interrupting those who take time to respond
- Delaying sharing important information
- Procrastinating in initiating conversations
One thing that everyone needs t understand is that communication is a two-way street. When conversating with a group, you must include both slow and fast patterns in a 50-50 ratio.