Did you know that 92% of Australians feel unfulfilled in their jobs? Much of this may be attributed to stress and feeling disconnected in the workplace. Continuing our discussion on stress and how it affects each Communication Style today we will look further into the Steady and Analytical Communication Styles.
The Patient and Steady Communicator is the quiet, people focused, consistent team member that loves harmony and for everyone to get along. They avoid change and conflict like the plague. When stressed, they will retreat further into themselves and try to pretend nothing is going on.
This style is very difficult to read so most often won’t show the signs of stress until it has been going on for quite a while. Unfortunately, you won’t get a warning until the volcano blows!! As you can imagine this is really hard for team members as they have no warning and seeing a usually quiet Patient and Steady style do their block is a sight to behold.
If this happens it is important to remember that the pre cursing event is one of MANY that have lead to this blow up. This is one of the complications of the “Patient and Steady” letting everything build up until they cannot take any more. It is very important for the “Patient and Steady” communicator to feel supported after a blow up happens, as they are always willing to support others. They will appreciate a willing ear and a friendly smile.
If this is you, remember it is ok to ask for help and to say “No” when you need to. If you are a “Patient and Steady” communicator you will respond to stress by needing to sleep more. So take the time and allow yourself to do this when you need.
Many Patient and Steady Communicators do well in learning how to be more assertive, particularly when dealing with a more assertive style such as the Powerful and Direct or Playful and Influencing communicator. If this is you or someone you know check out our upcoming course on how to Master the Art of Difficult Conversations, in Sydney this November.
The “Perfect and Conscientious” comes across as highly detailed, organised, wanting perfection and quite task oriented. When stressed they become even more task focused, they demand perfection and can become quite critical of others. As you can imagine if your bench mark is perfection this is already a recipe for stress. So if you notice your “Perfect and Conscientious” style team mate becoming more critical than usual, more controlling, if they seem tense and more anxious than usual it could be a sign that they are under stress.
Don’t take their criticism to heart, it is an outward sign of their inward battle. Ask them if they need support, offer to help them get a plan together so they can get through whatever is causing them stress too. If this is you, be kind to yourself, you will usually need some quiet alone time to deal with your hectic inner world. Make sure you do this so that you can effectively deal with the cause of your stress.
For all of us, awareness of our own stress levels is key. Realising that the people around us are affected by the way our behaviour and communication changes under stress is important. I think it funny that when we are under stress, we behave differently toward others, they may not respond well and our stress can increase! What a vicious and unhelpful cycle!
When you notice your stress increasing the best thing to do is acknowledge it, ask for support or help and get a plan. Ignoring it is never the answer. Ensure you allow yourself to do what helps you when stressed whether it be exercising, socialising, sleeping, quiet time or a combination; do what works for you.
I noticed a few years ago when my Husband and I were both stressed at the same time for different reasons. When he is stressed he likes to socialise and I need a combination of exercise and quiet time. He was really pushing to go out and it was honestly the last thing I wanted to do. What did we do? We compromised. I said to him that I needed an hour to walk and think on my own, when I got back I felt so much better and was able to then socialise as he so badly needed.
It is so important to take responsibility for your feelings, be able to share them, acknowledge and respect the needs of others. In relationships, the whole mind reading thing really doesn’t work!
Next time we will look at a current and real life example of these interactions and how different communicators respond to stress. Please share this information with friends and loved ones so that all of us can dial back the stress and begin to enjoy life more.
Until next time, Care, Connect and be a Courageous Communicator. Let’s change the world we live in one conversation at a time.
