Let’s rewind prior to the pandemic and look back at our workplace. There’d be one colleague who’d always be filled with energy, giving a high-five handshake when he meets you. There’d be another team member who’d like to keep to herself, but nods when you meet in the hallway. The list goes on, but the bottom line is, right from the start, we all have different communication styles.
Many a conflict and misunderstanding between team members take root with the differences in communication styles. In the current situation still peppered with work-from-home offices (thus preventing you from seeing face-to-face), this becomes crucial.
It’s therefore important to ensure that what messages you’re sending are also being interpreted in the manner you intended when sending them. Knowing how to do this means we have to learn about the four different communication styles as well as how to relate to each one.
Two things drive a person with this style of communication:
This kind of person is therefore comfortable in an environment where they are able to manage others and take control. With an orientation towards pace and goals, Directors are focused on bottom-line results and achieving success. This kind of mentality makes them innate leaders, but to a team with differing capabilities and pace, it also means they can come across as unreasonable or insensitive. So, how do you communicate with a director?
Socializers are the kind of people who are fun to be around. They’d see to always make others laugh, and they revel on being the center of attention. Brimming with charisma and energy, they want to be where the action is.
In a business context, they have conviction, especially in being good at selling others on visions and goals. Their enthusiasm and charm make them influential. However, they can sometimes be impulsive; making decisions and taking risks without verifying the facts first.
They don’t disregard their intuition; going with “what their gut is tells them. This sort of impulse however can mean that they have short attention spans, and find it difficult to be alone. So, how do you communicate with such a person?
As may seem self-explanatory by the name, thinkers are analytical, and oriented toward problem-solving and detail. They usually are slow toward decision-making; deliberate about the choices they proceed forward with.
Prior to choosing a path, they view problems from every angle, evaluating its cost-benefit ratio. However, the high expectations of others and themselves that come with this can make them come across as excessively critical, possibly pessimistic. They are also uncertainty-intolerant, they usually want to see promises in writing. Thus, how do we communicate with a thinker?
Of the four styles of communication, this one is the most people-oriented. Relators are warm and nurturing people. Above anything else, they value interpersonal relationships. In a business team, they are loyal employees, devoted friends and excellent team players. They are pacifist by nature, often avoiding conflicts. Much like thinkers, they plan down to the last detail, and are averse to risks. This is especially since they value dependability, stability and genuineness. Communicating with them requires the following steps:
With diverse communication styles, when people bring together their skills and expertise, they can identify problems and evaluate potential solutions, so that work can move forward. One such tool to help in this case is MultiCall, a group calling app dedicated to let you call many with the ease of calling one. Below are some guides for such team growth and upkeep amid current times of working remotely:
Plan for a perfect networking call
Ways to resolve conflicts within remote teams
What to avoid when managing remote teams
How to build a good remote team culture
Now that you know the benefits of good team connectivity, let’s see how you create good team connectivity and reach more!
Decision fatigue happens when individuals are required to make too many choices in a short period of time. In business environments, this often comes from constant messages, emails, and multiple communication tools demanding attention. Over time, this overload reduces the ability to think clearly and make effective decisions. A simpler communication approach can help reduce this mental strain
Modern enterprises often adopt multiple tools to manage communication across teams. From chat apps to emails and various platforms, the intention is to improve efficiency. However, using too many tools can create confusion instead of clarity. Employees may struggle to keep track of conversations, leading to missed information and reduced productivity.
High-stakes decisions require complete clarity and confidence. Leaders cannot afford misunderstandings or delays when making important choices that impact the business. Messaging platforms may seem convenient, but they often lack the depth needed for complex discussions. Voice communication allows leaders to explain ideas clearly, ensuring that every detail is understood. With Best Audio Conferencing Apps, leaders can connect instantly and communicate with precision during crucial moments.
In any business, delays in communication can slow down progress and affect overall productivity. When teams are unable to connect quickly, decisions get postponed, tasks remain incomplete, and workflows become inefficient. These delays may seem small at first, but over time, they can create major challenges for organizations trying to stay competitive.
Emails have been a standard form of business communication for years, but long email threads often create more confusion than clarity. Important points get buried in multiple replies, and conversations become difficult to follow. Teams spend time scrolling, re-reading, and trying to understand context instead of focusing on solutions. This slows down progress and affects productivity.
Many businesses today rely heavily on chat apps for daily communication. While messaging platforms are quick and convenient, they are not always the most effective way to handle important discussions. Over time, this dependency can create gaps in clarity, delay decision making, and reduce the quality of communication. Businesses need to evaluate whether chat apps are truly supporting their goals or slowing them down.
