Communication: You might be the Problem!

How many times have you entered into a conversation where you knew you had the answer to an issue, you just needed to sell the others. Much to your surprise, when you presented your idea you struggled to get the expected buy-in. In your mind, it was obvious what needed to be done, but you couldn't get others on board.

Well, it just might be because you didn't know how to communicate your ideas in a way that others could understand, or in a way that they felt safe buying into your recommendation.
Let's take a look at the 4 different Social Styles as documented by Larry Wilson:

• The Driver - these are the folks that just want to get it done! Given the opportunity, they will take charge.
• The Analytical - these are the folks that want to know the facts! Before diving into an assignment, they want to know all the details.
• The Amiable - they want to be your friend. Relationships drive their world. They are very loyal and want to know who they can work with and why it needs to be done.
• The Expressive - these folks have a lot of energy and have a "let's do it" attitude. They are spontaneous and will struggle with commitment and follow-through.

If you want to be successful in the interactions you are having with others, it is imperative that you understand what makes that person tick. Then guess what - it's you that needs to change your approach! Yep, you need to take the time to figure out who your interacting with and be able to modify your communication style to win them over.

• The Driver wants you to cut to the bottom line. Expect them to be business like and outspoken. They can sometimes be poor listeners and want to control the conversation. They will freely interrupt the conversation to get answers to questions and will summarize to move the conversation forward. To be successful: focus on the problem at hand, be brief, speak in terms of results, give them options to choose from and allow them to feel in control.
• The Analytical wants you to talk facts. Expect them to set high standards for themselves and others. They will have limited expressions and eye contact during the conversation. They will focus on the detail and will want to ensure the accuracy of any assertions. They expect you to be logical and well organized and will expect you to do what you say you will do when you say you are going to do it. You need to allow them time to think through things and don't force a decision.
• The Amiable wants you to avoid conflict. They will want to focus on the traditions and will want to be flexible in how the approach the issue. They will want to keep things easy and informal. They will want to allow time for the team to feel good.
• The Expressive want you to seek their input. They will focus on the future and want to illustrate points with stories. They will want to focus on the big picture and leave details to others. They will want you to compliment and recognize their contributions.

The trick is learning how to quickly recognize the social styles of the individuals you are working with and then being able to change the presentation of your idea to make it more compatible to how the person will hear the proposal. This isn't easy, and it take quite a bit of practice to master. What can really be tricky is when you are interacting with a group of many social styles and then understanding how you have to shift the presentation between the different social styles to win over the others in the room.

If you'd like more information on my background: LinkedIn Profile