Knowing Your Communication Style Will Help You Succeed In Your Life
Knowing Your Communication Style Will Help You Succeed In Your Life
No one type of Communication Style is the best, find out for yourself.
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Someone asked me what my communication style is. I said that it depends on the situation.
Toastmasters Pathways have nicely classified us into 4 styles: Initiative, Supportive, Direct, and Analytical.
Initiative Style Communicators are energetic and enthusiastic. They are sociable and gregarious and come across as very engaging and fun. I would think that the motivational speaker is more of this kind.
Supportive Style Communicators are seen as quite the opposite of the initiative type. They are calm and collected and listen more than they talk. They often engage the audience to listen to their views to receive feedback. The environment is generally more relaxed and personal. I have seen such speakers in health talks where they need to elicit some personal stories from the audience so that they can advise.
Direct Communicators are result-oriented and focused. They tend to get straight to the point to achieve their goals. They may come across as more demanding and impatient but no time is wasted. Some interaction with the audience may make the ambiance more pleasant.
Analytical Communicators are precise and cautious. To me, what they say is often backed by evidence. They may come across as too serious so I feel that an injection of humor may be in order to make the presentation more acceptable. Too much analysis lead to paralysis and I have sat in presentations where too many analytical reports lose the audience unless you can put across the findings in a simple manner.
No one Communication style is correct; it all depends on what you like to achieve.
My Case
I would consider developing Communication Skills as one of the most important things I did in my life. This skill is life-changing. After all, successful people have a common trait and that is; they have the power of communicating effectively. Doing this well will enhance your personal as well as…
