social styles of communication - university of...

Social Styles of Communication

Alan St. John, Director Missouri Training Institute

Robert J. Trulaske, Sr. College of Business

University of Missouri

304 Cornell Hall

Columbia, MO 65211

stjohna@missouri.edu

Mti.missouri.edu

Supervisory Series

Building Effective Relationships.

Your Legal Responsibilities

Communicating Successfully

Leading Teams.

Guiding Conflict Resolution.

Coaching Employees.

2

Complexity of Communication

Say the simple word “oh” to communicate the following:

Surprise.

Understanding.

Anger.

Indecision.

Disappointment.

Pleasure.

Missouri Training Institute

3

Communication and Social Styles

Sender Encodes

Receiver Decodes

http://mti.missouri.edu

4

Missouri Training Institute

Working in Your World

What impact does communication have on your organization?

What challenges do you face in communicating with others?

5

Missouri Training Institute http://mti.missouri.edu

Working in Your World

http://mti.missouri.edu Missouri Training Institute

6

Productivity: Task & Relationship Tension

Task

Tension

Relationship

Tension

Tension

Time

7

Missouri Training Institute http://mti.missouri.edu

Task & Relationship Tension

Unproductive

Zone

Task

Tension

Relationship

Tension

Tension

Time

Productive

Zone

8

Missouri Training Institute http://mti.missouri.edu

Payoff

Improve your communication skills and:

Achieve greater productivity.

Bring better organizational results.

Improve your collaboration.

Increase your personal effectiveness.

9

Missouri Training Institute http://mti.missouri.edu

Purpose of examining Wilson’s Social Styles

To help you identify the style you and others bring to every interaction.

To examine the different styles and what they mean to your workgroup.

To provide you with insights into how to work more effectively with different styles.

10

Missouri Training Institute http://mti.missouri.edu

2 Premises of Wilson’s Social Style

Missouri Training Institute

11

1. People are creatures of habit. What is the purpose of habits?

2. We make judgments about other people’s habits.

Wilson’s Social Style: behavior-based

Missouri Training Institute

12

Behavior

Feelings

Thoughts

Premises of Social Style

Missouri Training Institute

13

Observe Behavior

Draw Conclusions

React Out of Habit

What’s wrong with that?

People have different habits.

We don’t always understand them.

Missouri Training Institute

14

That’s Where Wilson’s Social Style Comes In!

Two Dimensions of Social Style:

Assertiveness

Responsiveness

http://mti.missouri.edu

15

Missouri Training Institute

Dimensions of Social Style

Assertiveness

The way in which a person attempts to influence the

thoughts and actions of others.

Ask-assertive Tell-assertive

http://mti.missouri.edu

16

Missouri Training Institute

Assertiveness

Missouri Training Institute

17

Indirect Approach Direct

Conditional Statements Declarative

More Questions Fewer

Slower Pace Faster

Fewer Interruptions Many

Leans back Body Position Leans forward

Quieter Volume Louder

Less direct Eye Contact More direct

Takes time Decisions Responds quickly

Ask Assertive Tell Assertive

Dimensions of Social Style

Assertiveness Behaviors – Ask or Tell?

Speaks slowly, often pausing.

Shows you the right way, right away.

Speaks quickly and often firmly.

Seldom interrupts.

Seldom uses voice for emphasis.

Often interrupts.

Often uses voice to emphasis.

Appears decisive.

Might appear indecisive.

http://mti.missouri.edu

18

Missouri Training Institute

Responsiveness

Missouri Training Institute

19

The way in which a person is

perceived as expressing

feelings when relating to

others.

Responsiveness

Missouri Training Institute

20

Facts first Focus Relationships first

Fewer, closer to body Gestures More, away from body

Consistent, even Tone Varied

Share few Feelings Share more

Fewer Facial Expressions Many

Objective, logical Decision Making Subjective, intuition

Task Directed People Directed

Dimensions of Social Style

Responsiveness Behaviors – Task or People?

The right solution is one that fits the organization/group.

The right solution is one that works.

Talks more about tasks and facts.

Talks more about people and relationships.

Exposes a narrow range of personal feelings to others.

Exposes a broad range of personal feelings to others.

Uses limited facial expressions.

Uses open facial expressions.

http://mti.missouri.edu

21

Missouri Training Institute

Dimensions of Social Style

Task

People

Tell Ask

22

Missouri Training Institute

Four Social Styles

Missouri Training Institute

23

Analytical Driver

Amiable Expressive

Ask Tell

Task

People

Determine Your Social Style

Take the mini-assessment.

What style are you?

Do you agree?

Missouri Training Institute

24

Effectiveness demands Versatility

Versatility is the ability to adapt your behaviors in order to

meet the concerns & expectations of others in order to

create productive relationships.

25

Missouri Training Institute http://mti.missouri.edu

The Versatile Response

Missouri Training Institute

26

Identify

• Identify the person’s social style.

• “She or he is ….”

Reflect

• Reflect and describe what she or he needs from you.

• “So she or he needs ….”

Modify

• Modify your behaviors to help the person manage his or her stress.

• “Therefore I will ....”

Style Identification Guidelines

Keep it simple; don’t overcomplicate.

Observe behavior; don’t guess.

What are your verbal and non-verbal clues?

Observe one dimension at a time:

Assertiveness: are they asking or telling?

Responsiveness: what do they talk about, people or task?

Missouri Training Institute

27

Analyticals Need

Missouri Training Institute

28

A more formal and structured approach.

Enough time to think things through.

Evidence of how results were achieved.

Clear, logical processes.

Support for their thinking and principles.

Data that aids decision making.

Respect.

Analytical Driver

Amiable Expressive

Drivers Need

Missouri Training Institute

29

A businesslike attitude with a focus on effective problem solving.

Efficient use of time. Evidence of results. Strong business knowledge. Documentation and facts. Clear benefits. Support for their ideas. Options and choices. Control.

Analytical Driver

Amiable Expressive

Expressives Need

Missouri Training Institute

30

More flexible use of time.

Discussions that keep moving and generate ideas.

Others to get to know them as people.

Personal recognition for their ideas and actions.

A collaborative approach.

Not too much detail.

Testimonials as evidence of success.

Recognition.

Analytical Driver

Amiable Expressive

Amiables Need

Missouri Training Institute

31

An open and honest approach.

Time to develop the relationship with others.

Support for feelings.

Assurances.

Others’ involvement in the decision-making process.

Clarity of impact on others.

To know why it’s right.

Approval.

Analytical Driver

Amiable Expressive

Effectiveness demands Versatility

All of us can improve our versatility.

We are all versatile to some degree in our communication with others.

Some are more versatile than others.

Versatility is a choice.

The more versatile we are, the greater our ability to communicate and work effectively with others.

Relationship and task tension will be at more effective levels if we are more versatile.

Missouri Training Institute

32

Social Styles in Combination

Open

Orderly

Patient

Encourages teamwork

Supportive

Energetic

Logical

Creates excitement

Concise

Decisive

Cooperative

Takes charge

Focused

Enthusiastic

Thorough

Maintains standards

33

Bring Strengths/Value to Organization

Social Styles of Communication

Thank you!

Alan St. John Missouri Training Institute

Trulaske College of Business University of Missouri

(573) 882-2864

stjohna@Missouri.edu

Missouri Training Institute

34

Social Style Summary

Missouri Training Institute

35

Analytical Amiable Driver Expressive

Primary asset Systematic Supportive Controlling Energizing

Under stress Avoiding Acquiescing Autocratic Attacking

Measure of

personal value

Respect Approval Control Recognition

Needs a climate

that

Describes Processes Responds Collaborates

Let them save Face Relationships Time Effort

Support their Principles and

thinking

Relationships

and feelings

Conclusions and

actions

Vision and

intuition

Social Style Summary

Missouri Training Institute

36

Analytical Amiable Driver Expressive

Make an effort

to be

Accurate Cooperative Efficient Interesting

Stress benefits

that answer

How the

problem is

solved

Why the

solution is the

best

What the

solution will do

Who else has

used the

solution

For decisions,

give them

Evidence and

service

Assurances and

guarantees

Options and

probabilities

Testimony and

incentives

Follow-up with Service Support Results Attention