If you are into personal development or sales psychology (and even if you are not at all into them) you should have definitely heard about individual communication styles. This, in general, refers to yours, mine and each person’s way of communicating with their peers.
Going through a Level 2 project in my latest Toastmasters Pathways workbook, I came face to face with an assessment of my personal communication style. Am I decisive? Initiative? Supportive or analytical? Well, guess what. The results of my communication style were dead wrong! Let me explain.
Your Communication Style Affects All Your Life. But Does It?
Let’s put first things first. I’m a firm believer that we should focus on no specific communication style. We shouldn’t let any expert, workbook or manager hang us a sign saying “you are XYZ,” to distinguish us from others.
On the contrary, we must follow a path of continuous learning and development with the aim to adapt to all kinds of circumstances and environments, if we want to succeed. Who can define that we cannot be a decisive or a supportive communicator? In my opinion, NONE!
Let Me Offer Some Real-Life Communication Style Examples
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In a company evnironment
Let’s say you are working in a company. Do you really think you will have the luxury to chose a communication style and stick with it? Do you think your boss or manager will even care? And even worse, how can you move things forward with your colleagues to deliver the necessary projects if you can’t communicate at their style?
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Developing new friendships
Let’s say you looking to expand your network and trying to meet new people. Ideally, these people would be able to help you develop and succeed in the area you have chosen to be it fitness, wealth, relationships or whatever. Do you think they will change their communication style to fit yours, or will the opposite happen?
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Around family and relatives
This is pretty obvious. How many of you have this incredibly irritating family member that every time you meet, you have to follow their communication style to avoid an argument? I know I have many. Guess what, avoiding arguments with your spouse’s family members also demand you changing your communication style.
Closing Thoughts And a Little Pumping up
I really hope this quick post gave you some food for thought or at least made you reconsider some ideas. The best thing is that now you don’t need to let anyone hang up a sign with a communication style on you.
Hell, if you are really interested in this, you should be reading about kinesthetic, auditory and visual communication styles – to achieve more in less time 😉
I’m totally immersed in developing a spherical communication style that can negotiate, discuss and have a great conversation with each and every person I’m interested in.
How about you?
