Have you ever experienced poor communication at work? I bet you have……. We all have.
One of the foundation problems is that most people do not know their needs as a Communicator, if you don’t know what you need how on earth can you ask for it?
The best Communicators know what makes them tick, they know their Communication DNA, what makes them who they are, what makes them tick.
So, how can you understand you Communication DNA and how this can affect you at work?
This is the foundation skill we teach to Communicators that want to improve their ability to communicate personally and professionally. If Communication DNA is a new term for you, check out this video specifically about this concept, it will explain it fully for you.
Communication is not taught in schools, not at university, after a behavioural science and psychology degree I still did not know what my needs were as a communicator.
Where did you learn how to speak up? Apologise? Listen, give effective feedback, have a difficult conversation, motivate someone different from you?
If you don’t know your needs, then how can you know the needs of others?
Professionally we struggle at work to share ideas and negotiate our own needs, because we don’t understand ourselves or the needs of others. Lets look at a typical business meeting;
The Powerful Communicator is driven like to take control, they are seen as a driver and is motivated by results.
The Playful Communicator tells stories is distracted and gets easily bored. They are story tellers, use many words to explain a quick point, and are seen as a talker. They need to be liked.
The Patient Communicator is quiet, agrees even if they don’t agree, and will not get involved in any perceived conflict, they are seen as a observer. They crave harmony.
The Perfectionist Communicator is into details, can be outrageously organised loves to do lists and is a neat person. They are seen as an analyser and need to be Right.
Just imagine the chaos if you don’t understand each other? The powerful push and make all the decisions, the playful tell stories and don’t really listen or come organised, the patient ones, sit and listen and don’t really get involved, while the perfectionist, gets stuck into the details gets frustrated that no one has done what they said they would do and in the end most people leave with the decision being made by the powerful communicator and everyone else feels unheard and frustrated. And that is before we even get to the customers or clients!!!!!!!
Is it any wonder business loses over 30% of profit due to poor communication? What can you do? Know your strengths and know the strengths of those on your team
I have been there before, I have struggled, I have been misrepresented, confused people, offended people and not understood why until I understood my Communication DNA.
If you relate to this, what can you do? Know your strengths and know the strengths of those on your team, learn what makes you who you are, what makes you tick, your strengths and challenges.
If you would like to understand yourself as a Communicator and learn your strengths then perhaps you may like to read The Enlightened Communicator, available for you to review at your own pace.
If you would like to know more about how to learn what your Communication DNA we can work with you to assist you to understand exactly what it is that makes you tick. We can also help you understand what makes others tick and how to get the best out of your relationships. Interested? You can get more information here.
If you are part of a team that struggles with these skills or you are keen to take your Team’s Communication skills to a new level of capability then reach out and see how we can tailor a solution for your unique situation.
You can also get in touch via our website, and Facebook so please join the conversation, we would love to hear from you!
Until next time, Care Connect and be a Conscious Communicator
Let’s change the world we live in one conversation at a time.
