Communication Style Profiles
If
you
checked
mostly
C’s,
Give It to Them Straight.
Your
Style:
You are direct, factual, and to the point.
You can also be spontaneous, open, and good at twoway conversations. There are no hidden agendas or
games. You prefer face-to-face communication and
often use storytelling, expressive descriptions, and
humor when conversing. To get your point across, you
make big gestures and sound effects.
Advantages:
•
There’s no question where you stand.
•
You are able to reduce complex ideas to easily
understood ones.
•
You have fun and make people feel comfortable
and at ease.
•
Problem solving happens quickly. You prefer to
hash things out in the open.
•
You have an extremely good sense of detail: color,
shape, texture and smell.
Disadvantages:
•
You can come across as blunt and too direct.
•
You may give too many details.
•
Since you are very active and use a lot of gestures
when you speak, you can be distracting.
If
you
checked
mostly
E’s,
Cut to the Core of the Issue.
Your
Style:
You are logical, analytical, objective,
organized and decisive. You tend to communicate in a
planned, direct way, highlighting your experiences or
insights. Everything you say you tend to say with
conviction; it tends to be impersonal, concise and
formal.
Advantages:
•
You’re good at solving objective problems.
•
You inspire confidence with your authoritative style.
•
You make points quickly, clearly and vividly.
•
You don’t let your feelings control what you say.
Disadvantages:
•
You’ve been known to prepare what you’ll say next
when others are still talking.
•
You may overlook feelings or the impact your
manner may have on people.
•
You can be seen as cold, distant and inflexible.
•
You are very serious and at times, nit-picky.
•
You may not be seen as playful, which can be
boring at times.
If
you
checked
mostly
D’s,
Paint a Pretty Picture.
Your
Style:
You are imaginative, enthusiastic and very
verbal. Things are made real because you fit them into
a pattern (using “It’s similar to...”), and then tell a story,
analogy, concept or theory. Your communications are
often musical, poetic, colorful and artistic.
Advantages:
•
You have a strong command of language.
•
You are a good motivator of people with your
inspirational and persuasive style.
•
You listen well and encourage others to talk.
•
Brainstorming is your strength.
•
You innovate well with lots of creative ideas.
Disadvantages:
•
You may appear to know more than you do.
•
You’re not strong with details and routine in depth
directions.
•
You can sound disjointed by making many leaps
and going off on tangents.
•
You may not finish sentences or come to a close at
the right time.
If
you
checked
mostly
F’s,
Speak from the Heart.
Your
Style:
You are warm, personal, friendly and
dramatic. You have a strong desire to create harmony
and be in touch with your audience. With your interest
in values over practicality, you use more analogies,
personal examples and illustrations. Your talk is
dramatic with lots of extremes (“shoulds” and “oughts”).
It’s important for you to develop a personal connection
first and then talk about business or serious subjects.
Advantages:
•
You rarely hurt feelings, so people identify with and
trust you.
•
You are a good listener.
•
You usually push for conclusions so that a point is
made.
•
Your enthusiasm and passion help draw people
out.
•
You respect others’ styles.
Disadvantages:
•
You can be intense and overly effusive (you may
have a tendency to exaggerate).
•
You can talk too fast –– and too much!
•
You’re sensitive to criticism.
•
You may not gather enough information, especially
if it’s negative.
Adapted from People Types and Tiger Stripes, Gordon Lawrence.
PROTEAM DREAMQUEST CURRICULUM
2-25